What Is this Expo thing?
It's a new way of putting on the annual homeowners meeting that is required in the bylaws of the North Fairview Farms Homeowners Association.
what's wrong with the old way?
Did you attend the annual meeting in the old format?
Well, No.
So that's exactly what's wrong with the old way.
Could you Explain a little more please?
Sure!
North Fairview Farms is one of the largest subdivisions in Rochester Hills with 466 homes. But like most HOAs, our annual meetings have an attendance of less than 5%. In a way, that's a good thing because that means there are no problems big enough to cause swarms of angry villagers to swarm the meeting with lit torches and pitchforks, right (hey, we always try to look for the positives)? It also means that from an administrative and financial standpoint, things are running so smoothly that there are never any issues scary enough to necessitate special assessments or additional fees that might require residents to come running to vote to protect their wallets so again, Go NFF!
But the downside to all this joyous and peaceful harmony is that with a neighborhood this huge, we are not able to get to know our neighbors. We aren't socializing, we aren't really making ourselves into a community. We're not learning about what's going around us within our neighborhood, just outside our neighborhood...in our city...
and we're not making our own community any better.
We also aren't having a whole lot of fun.
There are so many amazing people and opportunities all around us and we believe that the annual meeting is a perfect way to tap into that. So we're going to give it a try.
North Fairview Farms is one of the largest subdivisions in Rochester Hills with 466 homes. But like most HOAs, our annual meetings have an attendance of less than 5%. In a way, that's a good thing because that means there are no problems big enough to cause swarms of angry villagers to swarm the meeting with lit torches and pitchforks, right (hey, we always try to look for the positives)? It also means that from an administrative and financial standpoint, things are running so smoothly that there are never any issues scary enough to necessitate special assessments or additional fees that might require residents to come running to vote to protect their wallets so again, Go NFF!
But the downside to all this joyous and peaceful harmony is that with a neighborhood this huge, we are not able to get to know our neighbors. We aren't socializing, we aren't really making ourselves into a community. We're not learning about what's going around us within our neighborhood, just outside our neighborhood...in our city...
and we're not making our own community any better.
We also aren't having a whole lot of fun.
There are so many amazing people and opportunities all around us and we believe that the annual meeting is a perfect way to tap into that. So we're going to give it a try.
ooooooook. What are you going to do?
A few things. First of all, we're going to make it easier and more convenient for you to come out and we're going to give you compelling reasons to want to. We're going to make it interesting. And we're going to make it fun. Finally, we're going to make you it worth your while.
How?
We are bringing in everyone, and I mean EVERYONE. The entire community. It's going to be a Family affair. You're a homeowner and we are going to help you be a better one. We are going to help you take better care of yourself, your home, and everything in and around it. We're going to bring in resources from the City of Rochester Hills and resources in the city. And around the city. Everyone and everything imaginable.
We've rented out the entire Brewster Elementary School gym for the meeting and a vendor show and we want you and the whole family to participate. Doesn't matter your age. There will be something for everyone.
Food too.
We've rented out the entire Brewster Elementary School gym for the meeting and a vendor show and we want you and the whole family to participate. Doesn't matter your age. There will be something for everyone.
Food too.
Even my kids?
Yup. There will be free childcare available during the meeting itself, both indoor and outdoor (weather permitting). There will be resources from the police and fire departments to teach, crafts, etc. And if you are a nanny or a baby sitter or if you have another service or product geared towards kids, guess what? We will give you a free table for you to set up shop and meet residents. Want to run a seminar or demo? Done. Free. That's right - not charging you (there is a quid pro quo - more on that later).
Wait. I'm a painter/Roofer/builder. can i have a table?
Yup! If you are a local business, you can have a free table or booth. There's a quid pro quo but no fee. Fill out the form and you're in.
How did you come up with this idea?
One of our Board members was inspired by her mother who has a place up north. Every year, her Association has 97% attendance for a weekend-long HOA and they come from 4 states every year. She talked to her mom and asked what it was about this this meeting that made her mother schedule EVERYTHING around this meeting year after year. Her mom said that it was very social and a lot of fun and totally worth it. Plus, they had a lot of things to talk about that directly involved her so it was worth it.
So what involves me that makes it worth it?
Well, we are going to be giving away things like vouchers for annual dues, gift cards, and basically every vendor who will be at the expo will be donating at least one free service. All of those services will be given away during the expo. We anticipate the total value of the prizes to be close to a thousand dollars. Plus there's free food and personal 1:1 access to city officials along with child care and you get to hang out with your neighbors and make new friends...as well as pic up lots of free swag. Is that good enough?
Totally. Where do I RSVP?
Click the RSVP Form and away you go!
I want to be a vendor. It really will not cost me anything?
Well, not TOTALLY free. We aren't going to charge you money because we want you to get business and/or educate people...and we want our residents to to benefit by receiving high quality services and excellent education. See how everyone wins? That said, we need the help of vendor and participating experts to bring out residents.
So in exchange for free table/booth space, advertising, and access to our 466 residences through the expo and placement on the resident-login area of our website, we ask for you to provide the following: A coupon or discount on one of your offerings that is a North Fairview Farms Resident-Only offering. Meaning, something special and something ONLY for our residents. You are absolutely free to make a couple of these and have something that's only given to people who visit your table in person and something else they can get if they call, etc. Whatever, we aren't going to get too specific other than to ask that you do something.
The other thing is that we want you to give us something that we can offer as a prize. Because one of the things that we hope will attract a lot of residents to attend the meeting is the fact that we are giving away a lot of gifts. And it needs to be something of value. Absolutely it can be one of your products or services, but it must be a no strings attached prize (not "1 free with purchase" type thing). You will display that prize at your table and collect attendee-submitted tickets in a container provided. At the end of the Expo, you will draw the name from your container. You are responsible for all prize-related communication with the winner and arrangement for delivery/fulfillment of prize if necessary.
No value is attached but we suggest a minimum value of $25. Most prizes are in the $50-200 range so far. Some are insanely high end. But it's not the price, it's the quality that matters to us.
That's it!
So in exchange for free table/booth space, advertising, and access to our 466 residences through the expo and placement on the resident-login area of our website, we ask for you to provide the following: A coupon or discount on one of your offerings that is a North Fairview Farms Resident-Only offering. Meaning, something special and something ONLY for our residents. You are absolutely free to make a couple of these and have something that's only given to people who visit your table in person and something else they can get if they call, etc. Whatever, we aren't going to get too specific other than to ask that you do something.
The other thing is that we want you to give us something that we can offer as a prize. Because one of the things that we hope will attract a lot of residents to attend the meeting is the fact that we are giving away a lot of gifts. And it needs to be something of value. Absolutely it can be one of your products or services, but it must be a no strings attached prize (not "1 free with purchase" type thing). You will display that prize at your table and collect attendee-submitted tickets in a container provided. At the end of the Expo, you will draw the name from your container. You are responsible for all prize-related communication with the winner and arrangement for delivery/fulfillment of prize if necessary.
No value is attached but we suggest a minimum value of $25. Most prizes are in the $50-200 range so far. Some are insanely high end. But it's not the price, it's the quality that matters to us.
That's it!
I sell Clothing/beauty/personal products. Can I get in on this too?
Not this time, sorry. The goal here is to provide education and opportunity to improve our homes, health, and lives on a higher level. We aim to bring businesses and consumers together in a meaningful way but not through through the sale of personal products.
I am part of a MLM/Franchise business. May i have a copy of your neighborhood directory? I know many of your residents would me very interested in making a few extra dollars on the side either by selling or hosting a party. It's OK if I cannot have a table at your event, all i really need are the contacts. Is that cool?
That is about as not cool as it gets. In fact, that is expressly prohibited.
Be Advised: The use and/or distribution of personal information of any North Fairview Farms resident attending this meeting will be viewed as identity theft.
Furthermore, solicitation after this event by any vendor or attendee (resident or otherwise) is PROHIBITED. You may NOT contact any meeting attendee unless they provided their contact information to you deliberately and specifically during the event.
We mean it - don't take the residents information. There is a HOA Enforcement team and a Communications Director who take it very seriously and will pursue any complaints about information misuse.
Be Advised: The use and/or distribution of personal information of any North Fairview Farms resident attending this meeting will be viewed as identity theft.
Furthermore, solicitation after this event by any vendor or attendee (resident or otherwise) is PROHIBITED. You may NOT contact any meeting attendee unless they provided their contact information to you deliberately and specifically during the event.
We mean it - don't take the residents information. There is a HOA Enforcement team and a Communications Director who take it very seriously and will pursue any complaints about information misuse.
Tell Me About The Prizes. Who Buys them? Who Can Win them? Who picks the winners?
Great questions - thanks for asking! There are 2 types of prizes and there will be discounts:
1. The first type of prize are the ones that will be given away at the conclusion of the Homeowner's meeting. The monies used to purchase these prizes come from the overall Event budget that was set during the planning phase by the Treasurer, Social/Event Team, President, and Communication Director along with input from the rest of the Board. The winners will be selected by a Board member. Therefore, no person serving on the North Fairview Farms HOA Board of Directors between May 1, 2017 and May 19, 2018 nor any member of their family shall be eligible to enter or win any prize purchased/offered by the North Fairview Farms HOA Board of Directors.
2. The second type of prize is one provided free of charge and with no purchase required by a participating expo vendor. These prizes are offered by each vendor and each vendor shall retain all responsibility and ownership of maintaining the integrity and fairness of the drawing.
No member of the North Fairview Farms HOA Board of DIrectors shall have any input or influence into the process nor shall any member provide any physical assistance with the handling of the tickets or drawing. Therefore any current North Fairview Farms homeowner in good standing (no outstanding dues, etc) regardless of their participation in the Homeowners Association, past, present, or future, AND any family member over the age of 18 currently living in North Fairview Farmsin attendance at the meeting shall be eligible* to enter or win any prize offered by a participating vendor in accordance with each vendor's rules.
3. Participating vendors have been asked to provide discounts on services available solely to North Fairview Farms residents. As with their prizes, the parameters set for redemption of these discounts lie with the individual business owners and the HOA Board has no influence nor impact on those rules. Therefore any current North Fairview Farms homeowner regardless of their participation in the Homeowners Association, past, present, or future, AND any member of their family in attendance at the meeting shall be eligible* to receive any special discount or offer provided by a participating vendor in accordance with each vendor's rules.
* There is a one prize limit in each category per adult. A category is defined by the numbering above.