Here are some ideas from a organizational guide written by Scouter James Ball on planning a Pinewood Derby.  Jim's book is 44 pages long and this month I have shared just a very small part of it.  His book started his involvement beyond the unit level in Scouting.  His District Pinewood Derby gets 300+ racers every year.  They race on four tracks simultaneously.  Their full program includes exhibits, goody bag giveaways, sponsors, car show, Disney or Sea World Character visits for their celebrity race, and two to three thousand dollars in door prizes each year.  It is a great event.

JANUARY CHECKLIST

RACE COMMITTEE MEETING:

·        Hold early, before Pack Committee meets

·        Setup, test track before Race Day;

·        Review Practice Day arrangements.

·        Confirm all job assignments. (see RACE COMMITTEE)

·        Layout and review ROOM SETUP DIAGRAM, go over registration process and racing procedures with Registration & Track-op Teams.

·        Review EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES LIST, assign responsibility to procure each item to individual Team Leaders as appropriate.

·        Distribute, review OFFICIAL RULES & PROCEDURES so every Committee member is familiar with them.

·        Assign layout and production of all Race Day forms.

·        Make Leader Board; table and track area SIGNAGE (optional)

·        Arrange for P.A. system; background sound effects. (optional)

·        Review Publicity arrangements. (if any)

·        Review decoration arrangements (Committee)? (optional)

·        Review, coordinate any Special Projects needs. (optional)

·        Progress Report on fundraising efforts. (optional)

PACK COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA:

·        Status report on all preparations and scheduled activities; discuss any issues that need to be resolved before Race Day.

·        Review RACE COMMITTEE and EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES LIST needs, get firm commitments for volunteers now!

·        Handout, review RACING CATEGORIES & AWARDS LIST. Assign someone to order trophies and awards.

·        Assign making of an "Events Banner" to a Den as a special project.

·        Extra car kits available for siblings, parents?

PACK MEETING:

·        Make announcement about Derby; remind everyone of Practice Day; reference Event Info Flyer for details.

·        Mention Special Projects or other needs you may need help with.

·        Distribute Event Info Flyer and OFFICIAL RULES again, include times for Registration & Inspection on Race Day.

SPECIAL PROJECTS: (optional)

·        Food concessions

·        Decorations Committee (or by each Den)

·        Event Banner Competition and awards

·        Photography, Sponsorships, and Publicity

·        Celebrity Race coordination, other program additions

FEBRUARY CHECKLIST
(Post Race wrap-up)

RACE COMMITTEE MEETING:

·        Recap of Derby events, evaluate for benefit of next year's Race Committee.

·        Collect all DERBY information, notes, rules, evaluation forms, etc. and file for next year's Race Committee. Setup a 3-ring binder to pass on from year to year.

·        Send out "thank you" letters to all who donated to you race program, especially your door prize sponsors. Very important, don't let this slip by.

PACK COMMITTEE MEETING:

·        Recap of Derby events, evaluate for benefit of next year's Race.

·        Distribute, review financial report, save for next year's budgeting.

STORE

·        track, decorations, signage, etc. for next year.

PACK MEETING: (B & G Banquet?)

·        Be sure to recognize and thank, one more time, both the winners and all the volunteers that made the Derby possible.

·        Set up a pictureboard display of Derby if you had it photographed.