Attracting Participants and Audiences
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To ensure the community was well-informed about the Tapestries of Transformation program, we worked diligently from early November 2023 to develop a comprehensive agenda that aligned with our goals. By early December, we were ready to start soliciting participants, aiming for maximum veteran involvement to ensure the program’s success.
Key strategies for engagement included:
Developing the Agenda
We collaborated intensely to create an agenda that clearly communicated our objectives. This preparation allowed us to present a coherent plan to the community and potential participants.
Prioritizing Veteran Participation
We aimed for a 50/50 mix of veterans and non-veterans. Special attention was paid to ensuring at least 50 percent of participants were military members. In the Morongo Basin about 11 percent of the adult population is veterans, which is higher than the national average.
Our efforts were successful, resulting in a well-represented group that exceeded this percentage.
We achieved turnout of 30 people for the retreat, which was a substantial number for our program.
Broader Community Involvement
Part of Mil-Tree’s mission is to tackle isolation in the wider community and to connect veterans and civilians.
The workshops and the production phase of Tapestry were open to the general public. One did not need to participate in all three modals, the retreat, workshops and performance, to be part of the program.
In addition, Tapestry drew an audience of roughly 300 community members across two nights.
Outreach and Communication
We pursued a multipronged outreach and PR effort to attract program participants and to draw an audience.
We hosted an initial icebreaker event at a local restaurant, which was well-attended with around 100 people coming and going throughout the event. The owner of the restaurant, a veteran himself, graciously supported our initiative. At this event we provided props and information materials for attendees to take and share, enhancing our outreach efforts.
We also:
- Leveraged our extensive email list to reach out to our network.
- Engaged with local media outlets, including radio shows like Z107.7 with Gary Daigneault and KVCR Arts with David Fleming.
- Utilized social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to increase our reach and engagement.
- Placed hard copy flyers around the downtown areas of the Morongo Basin.
- Engaged directly with local organizations such as the VFW, the American Legion, local Rotary clubs, and the Chamber of Commerce to communicate our message.
Flyers and Signage
