Club planning is highly dependent on the club’s location (church, school, military base, etc.), the leaders, and the parents of the clubbers. As such, most of it should be done as a team, rather than a single individual or couple serving as commanders. However, all standard clubs still have elements that need to be planned and communicated in advance for the club year to run smoothly. Here are some tips to help keep you on track.
For a bit more detailed structure, you can download the Awana Commander’s Checklist here. You or your commander may need to customize the calendar and checklist to fit your club's specific situation and needs.
Taking inventory
The best way to keep track of inventory during the year is delegate the list-writing to the people using the materials — the secretaries, directors, and leaders. Have them track what they need for their jobs. You can consolidate the lists in July and December, with reasons explained in the next section.**Bonus: One former commander I spoke with suggests having a white-board in the office where Awana personnel can write the stuff they need as they discover they need it. Come ordering time, you can just take a photo of the white board and voila: an order list to take home.
Ordering materials
Awana has been offering free shipping in July. Planning your new-club-year orders around this time can help with both scheduling and saving money. July will be the best time to order materials for the beginning of the year, such as books, uniform awards, and record sheets. You can estimate amounts based on the previous year’s counts. December is a good midway point when you can order year-end awards and any supplies running low. You will need to have a general awareness of your club’s monetary flow, whether through your church or dues or both, so you can have enough at those times to make the orders. Check awana.org/store for details.**Bonus: If you discover your estimate was short, you can place your order after-hours on a week night, such as Wednesday night. There’s a good chance your order will be shipped the next day!
Planning themes and special events
For themes and special nights, you can hold a leader meeting about one month before the first club night and plan as a group. With everyone having a calendar on their smart phone, all can help determine what works best for the team and kids. At that time, you can either plan for the whole year or up through Christmas, then hold another meeting during the Christmas break to plan for the remainder of the year. If you don’t already have someone on the church staff as a leader, invite someone with knowledge about other church events, especially if you’re planning something for a non-club night.**Bonus: More people planning the calendar means more people brainstorming new theme night and event ideas to keep each club year fresh and exciting.
Training your leaders
New this month, all the Getting Started training videos for new leaders or leaders needing a refresher are available online at awana.org. Hands-on trainings can also take place any time your leaders are available, whether during the summer or club year. Talk with your Awana missionary, and they can either direct you to a Getting Started Training at another club, or help you schedule your own. Missionaries can also tell you when regional trainings are, including Awana Ministry Conferences, Commander Colleges, and other information-relaying and team-building trainings.**Bonus: If you have specific questions about any part of the club night, you may find your answer through Awana’s Club Clinic videos. Role books are also available for purchase.
Optional: Inviting guest speakers
Sometimes you may want a guest speaker for a special night, such as a military veteran on Patriotic Night or a missionary on Culture Night. You should confirm their availability and willingness to teach three months to two weeks before the night they present, and confirm with them one week before they’re scheduled.**Bonus: When the scheduled person cancels last minute, it’s good to have pinch-hit resources available. Consider the Sparky’s Adventures books by Larry Fowler, or other children’s faith and Christian-living books by an author approved by your church.
Optional: Planning a multi-club event
In recent months, Awana has turned regional events over to the individual churches and communities. That means if you want your Sparks to play in Sparks-a-Rama or your Trek clubbers to have a Bible Quizzing competition with other clubs in your area, you and the other club commanders need to plan it.For more information about Awana Clubs International, visit the Awana Homepage
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.
