BACL E.H. HOST MANUAL/SAN RAFAEL

We are very pleased that you are going to be our Elderhostel Host(s) soon. This is the Host's manual for Sunday/Day 1 set up, registration and orientation, and the remainder of the week. Please go through it and review the procedures. It is important for you to visit the Elderhostel site before the program to acquaint yourself with the hotel and with the surrounding area.

If you have any questions after reading the material, please call the office at (415) 566-3444. If there is any problem during the week, call the office, or call the Kleinbergs at (415) 584-9225 before or after office hours and on weekends*. Please call the office during your first morning class break (566-3444) on the first, third, and fifth days of the program to let them know how things are going (except for three-night programs, no call on fifth day). These are the important facts that we need to know from your first morning call to the office, on Monday (or Day 2 of program): 1) How many people have not arrived, and their names; 2) Your accurate head count of how many are there; please say a real number! Saying "everyone has shown up" is not sufficient! These two things are necessary, so we know how much to pay the hotel for the program. David Kleinberg makes the payment to the hotel based on your report, by Day 2 of the program. Finally, 3) Tell us the head count for each bus tour so that we can let the bus company and tour operators know exactly how many people to expect. Your compliance with these guidelines will ensure that the week will begin smoothly. We appreciate your help very much!
*If no answer at their San Francisco number, please call the Kleinbergs in Cloverdale at 707-894-0774.
*Note 1: We would greatly appreciate it if those of you who own mobile phones could bring yours to use at the program, in case we need to communicate with you on urgent matters while you are in class, on a bus tour, etc. We have found that calling the Lobby Desk for someone to find a host has not always been reliable, and sometimes we need to speak with hosts before everyone leaves the BACL office for the day. So as not to disrupt class, please set your cell phone to 'vibrate' (a.k.a. etiquette or silent mode). Thank you!
*Note 2: In rare cases, some participants decide not to attend the program, but instead of officially cancelling/transferring out, they have a friend attend in their stead and don't tell anybody in charge what is happening. This type of 'substitution' is absolutely not allowed by Elderhostel (a big reason being that the substitute, not being officially enrolled, is thus not covered by EH's insurance if anything happens to them). If you find out this has happened, please inform us at the office immediately, and inform the substitute participant that they MUST contact Elderhostel to officially enroll and pay their tuition. We will take care of calling EH to inform them which participant(s) did not show up, so they can take care of any refund issues.

It is essential to us to work cooperatively with the management and staff of the hotel. If there is a problem that involves the hotel or a guest suite, you can get help from the front desk in the lobby and with the Manager on Duty. If the problem is not resolved, please let us know immediately so that we can speak with the hotel management. We and the hotel want to work toward a positive experience for everyone.

Occasionally, a participant will injure himself/herself, feel ill, or leave the program early. Please let us know promptly (by phone) if this occurs. We also want you to send us a completed Incident Report filled out in ink (located in your Host's All-in-One packet). If any medical professional (such as a paramedic) is called to the scene, or if the hosteler visits a doctor, urgent-care center, or hospital, we definitely need an Incident Report faxed immediately to the BACL office (fax: 415-566-6344). If the hosteler seems not to have suffered any significant harm, no medical professionals were involved, and the hosteler remains at the program, we still need a Report, which you may send to us at the end of the week enclosed with the recycled name tags in the pre-stamped addressed envelope (send evaluations in a second pre-stamped addressed envelope to Barry Adler). It is very important that you fill out the form completely, and that you complete it yourself. The Elderhosteler should NOT fill out an Incident Report themselves. If a participant leaves early for any reason and wishes to receive a refund, they must write Program Assessment & Evaluation, Elderhostel, Inc., 11 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111-1736.

Note: All Elderhostel participants are covered with Emergency Traveler's Insurance provided by Elderhostel. NOTE: This coverage is not intended as a primary source of insurance (only supplemental to patient's own insurance, and does not automatically pay for any medical costs). In case of an accident or emergency, either the participant, their travel companion or you must call AIG Assist at 1-800-626-2427 to find out what help can be provided depending on the nature of the emergency. IMPORTANT! If a participant is admitted to the hospital during the program, you MUST call AIG Assist and have them open a file for the person, in case they need emergency assistance of some kind. Please see the fact sheet about AIG in the Host All-in-One Packet included in the Host's Envelope.

As is standard, we will mail the box of program materials to the hotel and it will be waiting for you at the lobby desk (box is addressed to Manager on Duty). Box could sometimes be stored in the Sales Dept. Otherwise, if you live in San Francisco, or will be passing through there on your way to San Rafael, you can arrange with us to pick up the box of materials IF YOU WANT TO. The place and time for pickup is at the BACL office in the Sunset district, 300 Taraval St. (cross street Funston), San Francisco, 94116; office hours are Mon. thru Fri., 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, or by arrangement. We can mail, email, or fax you directions to the BACL office.

Morning Announcements -- Go through each day's schedule and make any announcements necessary; it's important to start and end class on time.

Meals -- Breakfast will be served in Rings Restaurant, but you may bring your tray and eat anywhere in the Atrium (dining area in Rings is already Atrium-style). At times the hotel will be full, and in this case they will open up an ADDITIONAL buffet-style breakfast line, in addition to the cooked-to-order breakfast line which we will normally be using. Our participants are welcome to use both lines at these times. Mondays only, we have lunch in the Sausalito Room. Any other day of the week, lunch will be in the Private Dining Room adjoining Rings Restaurant (because participants eat from the buffet lunch instead of being served plated food, no servers will be assigned to us in the Private Dining Room). Dinners are always in the Sausalito Room unless notified otherwise. It is possible to take your food out to eat in the Atrium for lunch and dinner, but is not recommended due to the significant amount of walking/distance it would require, especially since all the condiments, extras, and drinks are located in the banquet room. The staff will NOT serve these items, nor second helpings of food, to guests who are not sitting in the designated meal area. Important: It is regrettably not possible to ask the kitchen to prepare boxed lunches "to go" for those who plan to leave the program before lunch on Closing Day. If they want lunch, they may stay on for the scheduled lunch or buy food on their own.

            1. It is important to tell our group at Orientation that participants must come to lunch and dinner on time because these are served meals (not buffet like breakfast). Please let the instructors know about this so they will let the class out on time.
            2. Note that people who arrive after meal times have ended cannot be served a meal regardless of the reason. (This may occur on opening day because of plane arrival schedules.) If such a situation should occur, the participant will have to pay for their own meal.
            3. Occasionally, due to last-minute changes in their event schedule, the hotel may need to switch our group to a different room for lunch or dinner than indicated on the Week in Review, with little or no advance notice.

Guests of Elderhostelers Dining with the Group -- (For lunch or dinner): If a participant has a friend or relative ("guest") who wants to have a meal with them at the hotel, the guest has a choice of ordering food from the regular menu or eating the same food as the participants. Either way, guest should pay hotel. Through March 2008, (per person) lunch costs $12.50 and dinner costs $20. If eating from the Elderhostel menu, Lori Levy in Conference Svcs. must be informed how many guests will join the group, on which day(s), and for exactly which meals, at least one day in advance. This is so we can tell the kitchen how many extra meals to prepare ahead of time. Please let waitstaff know about the arrangement so that the participant's meal can be brought to them. For breakfast: Guests should pay $15 (all-you-can-eat) at the lobby desk and bring the receipt to the restaurant area; they may sit anywhere to eat.

Refreshments in Class -- No refreshments (other than water) will be served during class or at any other time. However, participants may bring drinks and snacks from the buffet breakfast and from the Manager’s Reception in the Atrium (aka Happy Hour, 5:30-7:30 pm) to the classroom. Let the group know that they can take fruit, yogurt, etc. from the all-you-can-eat breakfast for snacks later. Perishable food can be kept in their guest room refrigerators. Drinks during the Reception are complimentary. Note 1: The Hotel permits guests to take drinks from Happy Hour into banquet rooms for dinner. Please emphasize that it is greatly appreciated (especially by our instructors!) if they can be in the evening class on time at 6:30 pm. This will mean that if they want drinks, they should try to get in line before the dinner hour is over. Note 2: If there are other groups holding activities in the conference areas, and they have set out snacks for their participants, please be sure to remind the group that we may NOT poach food/drinks from these groups! This has happened and it upsets the hotel staff.

Conference Room Cleanliness -- Check each morning before class to make sure class and bathrooms are clean, and that hot and cold water have been changed. If any of this hasn't been done, inform the hotel. We will let you know the name of the classroom in advance (by phone).

Classroom Temperature -- If the temperature needs to be adjusted, you can go to the Lobby Desk and ask that a houseman take care of this. If the room temperature becomes problematic, you may ask the Catering Dept. to unlock the thermostat in your conference room, thus allowing hosts direct control over the settings. Please do so only in extreme situations.

A/V Equipment -- We have the following A/V equipment: Combination DVD/VCR player & monitor, audio-visual cart, microphone, two carousel slide projectors with long distance remotes, two extension cables for the projectors' remote controls, a cd/tape player/boombox, a small whiteboard with dry erase markers and eraser, PA system for music performances (includes two speakers, an amp/mixer, a microphone, and microphone cable. The hotel is also lending us (free of charge) a portable lectern with microphone. We will include a copy of the BEO (Banquet Event Order) in your Resident Host’s envelope, which lists what equipment we have requested for your week. All should be set up by the hotel by 2 pm on Opening Day. Please keep any instruction manuals and remote controls in the supply box between programs. We are including only one manual for both of the slide projectors.

Instructors' Breaks -- In general, each class of 2 ½ hours should have a 10-minute break every 45 minutes. Ask the instructor if you should let him/her know when it's time for a break. However, use your own judgment. Please make it clear that they will be given a break no later than 7:15 pm during the evening class to get cocktails before the Manager's reception is over at 7:30 pm. We hope to keep to a minimum the amount of disruption caused by people getting up and leaving class while the instructor is lecturing.

Videos -- We have a two-part documentary video from KRON-TV, called "San Francisco in the Movies." Together they run 1 ½ hours. We also have the two-part documentary "Frank Lloyd Wright" by Ken Burns, which should also be shown (see pg. 10 for more info). We will indicate on the week in review when we think it might be a good time to show videos (to fill up empty time). There will also be random videos in the plastic supply box. You may also show them at your discretion.

Health & Safety Forms - Health forms will be used by paramedics in case of medical emergency. Be sure to file in alphabetically the ones that you receive directly from individuals on Day 1. Our final policy as of Oct. 23, 2006, is that Hosts will now be the sole keepers of the Health forms, NOT the Lobby Desk or Manager on Duty. There will not be a second set of photocopied forms to give to the Lobby Desk.

Teacher's Checks -- We have enclosed three checks for teachers. Please give each teacher his/her check at the start of their final class. We will write checks to take care of all other aspects of the program (i.e., entertainers' paychecks). Of course, for last-minute changes or additions, David will sometimes simply mail the teacher's or entertainer's check directly to their home (we'll do our best to let you know when this is the case).

Independent Contractors Agreement -- Occasionally, we may give you independent contractors agreements that new teachers will have to sign. Please send them to us along with the name tags.

Commuters --As of September 2008, BACL is now accepting commuters at all BACL EH sites. Commuters are required to register through Elderhostel's main office.

Three Night Programs - Main Differences: The majority of the participants will be first-time Elderhostelers. Our focus will be a little more on what Elderhostel is all about. Therefore, we have included a sheet (called "What is Elderhostel") with information about Elderhostel with your manual. Please familiarize yourself with the information and summarize it in the Orientation. Please show the Elderhostel video "Adventures in Lifelong Learning" (to be found in the Host's plastic supply box) after Orientation ONLY if there are enough first-time Elderhostelers; it is approx. 12 minutes long. It gives a good overview of Elderhostel. Bus Tour of San Francisco: The bus will leave the Embassy Suites at 12:45 pm. We visit most of the popular and historic sights in the City. Closing Program: We will have live entertainment, indicated on your week in review. Sometimes we schedule live stand-up comedians or Tony Castle doing Vaudeville for closing night.

You should arrive at the hotel by 1:30 p.m. (allow about 45 mins. from San Francisco). Check to see if the hotel has set up a registration table in the conference room. The hotel also should have set up a refreshment table with glasses/cups, and a container of ice water in the classroom. If the hotel has not, let the Catering Dept. know that things aren't set up and that they are needed before 3 p.m. registration. There is a house phone in each conference room; dial "0" for the operator, then ask for Catering Dept.. All the A/V equipment (see BEO in your Elderhostel Host's envelope) must be set up, too. Give the front desk a copy of the Week in Review and the Roster.

Set up for maps/literature/games -- After registration, use that table in the back of the room for maps, literature and games. Tape up: AAA San Francisco Bay Region Map, tourist map of San Francisco (from Map SF), and AAA Sausalito/Mill Valley map. Set up remaining maps on table; literature at center, and games (card decks and Scrabble), right. Note: Unless otherwise notified, our classes will usually be held in the Santa Rosa Room.

Post notices such as the week's menus and the local bus companies schedules on an appropriate area of the wall, using tape, near the registration table in the classroom.

Set up for Elderhostel registration -- Place name tags in alphabetical order on table facing participants. Have orientation envelopes nearby. Use Admissions Roster to check off names as people come in. There is NO money to collect, but in the rare case that someone needs to pay, we'll let you know with a note on the program roster. Elderhostelers who have chose a single room have already paid that extra fee when they enrolled.. People are not allowed to switch from Doubles to a Single after arriving at the hotel. Give each person their name tag and an envelope.

Sometimes people will check in later in the evening. Please take a CLOSE look at the Housing List when you're near the end of the registration process, so that you’ll know whether or not any participants will be arriving at the program LATE, and therefore need to have their guest room held for them until their arrival. Note: The Embassy Suites WILL NOT hold dinner for late arrivals. Check with front desk about anyone who hasn't appeared by dinner. Sometimes people who have decided not to come will call the hotel to cancel but not let us know. If there is no sign that they have canceled, leave their name tags and orientation packages with the front desk. We have now changed procedure so that it is no longer necessary for you to mail the Admissions Roster to the BACL office.

If any participants show up, whether during or after registration, and the hotel does not seem to have their names on the reservations list, please do everything that you can to get a room for the people, and investigate what happened (i.e., look for their names on the Admissions Roster, on the Housing List, etc.). Sometimes the hotel has misspelled names in their computer records, or otherwise neglected to input everyone's name from the Housing List. Sometimes there is an error on the Admissions Roster, which is information printed directly from Elderhostel Headquarters. Then, call BACL as soon as you can to let us know about any discrepancy.

Health & Safety Forms -- You will have all the Health forms in an envelope. Some few EHers will not have returned Health forms to us. We will have marked "HF" (meaning they need to submit a Health & Safety form) on the Admissions Roster. We will have blank Health forms for you to give to them to fill out. When they complete the Health forms, file them alphabetically with the others and bring the envelope to the front desk. NOTE: Please be aware that on the front of every Health form, we have an item which requires the participant(s) to sign their initials acknowledging they understand special dietary needs cannot be accommodated by the hotel kitchen. If anyone begins to make requests or demands, or becomes difficult regarding meals, you may pull out their Health form to check their initials, and remind them that they agreed to the condition. Sometimes people who did not receive their Health form prior to arrival at the program do not know about this item; when you give them their form to fill out at Registration, always be sure to point out this item and ask them to read and initial it.

Remind each couple or person that we have changed our itinerary (you may direct them to read a sign that should be posted at the registration table) and will be doing Orientation immediately after the registration period, at 4:30 pm, and that social time/introductions of everyone in the group will be held at 6:30 pm onward in the conference room. We expect that people will drift over to the Manager's Reception to get drinks after dinner, and then drift into the conference room. If you like, you may also announce that formal introductions (led by you, the host), will begin at a certain time (for example, 7 pm), so that everyone's had time to get drinks, go to the restroom, etc.

Orientation (4:30 -5:30 p.m.)
Note: Please cover all the material in this section (letters A thru D) in the order given.

A) Welcoming Participants -- Welcome to Bay Area Classic Learning's Elderhostel Program at the Embassy Suites San Rafael. (Introduce yourselves.) You may be wondering, what is Bay Area Classic Learning. It is a non-profit educational corporation that was formed in 1994 by Pat and David Kleinberg. Besides San Rafael, Bay Area Classic Learning runs a year-round site at the Embassy Suites on the Burlingame waterfront, and another at the Embassy Suites in famed Napa Valley. When Elderhostel began 28 years ago, it started in the northeast on college campuses in the summer. Today over 1/4 of a million people attend Elderhostel yearly and 50% of the programs are sponsored by colleges and universities and 50% by other non-profit educational organizations such as Bay Area Classic Learning.

*Very Important! Emergency Situations and Health Forms -- (As of 10/23/06) Please inform the group that you, the Host(s), will keep the Health forms with you, not the Lobby Desk or Manager on Duty, and that if there is ever any accident or medical emergency, that they should call or find you FIRST, even if it's the middle of the night. Of course, if 911 assistance is required immediately, they should call 911 first, and then the Host(s). This way the Health forms should be available in an emergency, and you can inform hotel management about any emergency situation that arises.

People are always interested in the area they are visiting. Here are some historical highlights of San Rafael and Marin County.

* The name 'Marin' was given by the Spaniards to a Miwok tribal chieftain, who led a rebellion against the establishment in the area of a Spanish community in 1817, when Mission San Rafael Arcangel was built.

* Native Americans: The Coast Miwok are from the areas of Novato, Marshall, Tomales, San Rafael, Petaluma and Bodega. Their tribal ancestors existed for thousands of years before with territorial lands which include all of Marin and southern Sonoma counties.

* Discovery of area: Sir Francis Drake in the Golden Hinde arrived in Drake’s Bay in 1579.

* Spaniards: The Spanish explorer Viscaino landed about twenty years after Drake. The Spanish discovered San Francisco Bay in 1776, but their first recorded expedition in this area came in 1823. First Spanish settlement was Mission San Rafael Arcangel in 1817. Father Amoros, second person to run the Mission, was an energetic priest who went out looking for converts. One by one, he found them and built the Mission up. He was the only priest there, and by himself he also grew the businesses - farming, ranching, sandal-making, blacksmithing, harness-making, carpentry and boat building.

* Transition: In 1821 control of California passed from Spain to Mexico, and in the early 1830's secularization of mission properties was decreed.

* Statehood: The United States' occupation of California began in 1846. California became a state in 1850 and Marin one of its original counties.

* Farming and cattle-ranching flourished, then the Golden Gate Bridge was built and the tourism industry began to flourish as well.

* World War II brought intense government military buildup to the Sausalito shipyards and Hamilton Air Force Base in Novato.

* Since then, Marin County has become world-renowned for its progressive social values, wealthy inhabitants, and fierce commitment to environmental causes, which has manifested in the creation of many natural parks and preserves.

Biographies of Leaders & Teachers -- We've already introduced ourselves. Briefly elaborate on teacher biographies.

For 3 night programs only: Show "Frank Lloyd Wright, Part 1" video at 8 pm. See more info on page 10 about videos.

Note: Please go over the "What to See & Do" portion of the Orientation Packet for places of interest. The places listed below (except for the Civic Center) are NOT in the Orientation Packet, so please be sure to go over them with the group. We have provided several maps of some of the parks and preserves listed in the Orientation Packet; if anyone’s interested in visiting, please post the maps on the wall (these should be kept in a 3-ring binder in the plastic supply box; they should remain protected in their plastic sleeves).

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Marin Civic Center, a national and state designated historic landmark, is Wright's 770th commission. Wright, one of the world's renowned architectural geniuses, designed the building to exist harmoniously within Marin County's landscape. A circular theme of design and graceful rounded archways echo nearby pastoral, rounded hills. The central architectural focus for the building is the 80-foot diameter dome with its 172-foot, slender gold spire. The spire creates a visual punctuation mark, which breaks the horizontality of the two buildings. The Civic Center includes the County's administrative, financial and community services departments, the County's Human Resources Department, Hall of Justice, a fountain-garden patio, a Scenic Overlook deck (3rd floor), and a Marin County Library branch (4th floor). You will also have the opportunity to browse the gift shop, which offers many Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired items. There is also a cafe serving breakfast and lunch in limited hours, and snacks throughout the day. We will visit the Civic Center on our Marin County bus trip (five-night programs only); trip includes a docent-led tour.

To reach the Civic Center Lagoon (mentioned in "What to See & Do" packet), start from the short hallway by the beginning of the conference rooms area, go through the doors outside to the pedestrian footbridge, crossing over it. Continue towards the large open lot next to the Veterans Memorial Auditorium (the buildings immediately in front of the footbridge), staying to the left of the buildings. Continue through the lot (where the Marin County Fair and Farmer's Markets are held) to Civic Center Lagoon. The actual walking distance to the Lagoon is fairly short and direct, and should take less than five minutes at a good pace. The grassy areas, fountains, picnic tables, and park benches are located further around the Lagoon, past the paved areas (cross over another footbridge to reach them). The resident waterfowl are numerous, attentive, and quite willing to eat out of your hand.
Civic Center Farmer's Market, held next door at the Marin County Fairgrounds/Marin Civic Center. Might be a pleasant way to pass the time and see what sort of local produce is available (specialty crafts, products, gourmet delicacies, ready-to-eat foods and flowers also available). Held year-round on Sundays and Thursdays from 8 am-1 pm. Follow instructions above for getting to the Civic Center Lagoon: The Farmer's Market is located in the parking lot area next to the Lagoon and Auditorium.

Mission San Rafael Arcangel, 1104 Fifth Avenue. Mission San Rafael Arcangel is a 1949 replica of the original Mission, which was constructed in 1817 and was second to last in the California mission chain. The building has been restored and includes a gift shop and small museum. The small, charming chapel is open to the public daily. 454-8141.

Dominican University of California, 1520 Grand Avenue. Founded in 1890, the university is located on 80 wooded acres in the center of San Rafael. This four-year liberal arts college is home to many architecturally and historically significant buildings, and its library won a national architectural award for design in 1964. Campus tours arranged by appointment, or get brochure for a self-guided tour. 457-4440.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1123 Court Street. Built in 1869, this Victorian Gothic church is noted for its beautiful stained glass Rose Window and redwood interior. The Rose Window was installed in 1895. 456-4842.

The Mall at Northgate, an enclosed mall with over 100 shops, including a Macy's, Sears, Mervyn's, Rite Aid, and 15-screen Century Movie Theatres (good to suggest shopping/movies for any free afternoons). Drive southwest on McInnis Pkwy., turn right on Civic Center Dr., turn left on Manuel T. Freitas Pkwy., and turn left onto Northgate Dr.

Marine Mammal Center, Marin Headlands: If anyone's interested in visiting, please give them these driving directions to the Center, which we did not have room to fit into the Orientation Packet. By Car: Take Hwy. 101 South; take exit into Headlands at last exit before Bridge, marked "Sausalito." You will also note a brown road sign that reads "Golden Gate National Recreation Area." Take first left turn to tunnel. Take turn left at the end of the exit ramp; pass under Hwy. 101. Stay to the right at the "V" in the road to get onto Conzelman Rd. Follow this road until it forks at McCullough Rd. Turn right at the fork onto McCullough Rd., heading downhill. At the bottom of the hill, turn left onto Bunker Rd. Follow Bunker Rd. for approximately 3 miles. Ignore various forks to the left; always bear to the right to make sure you stay on Bunker Rd. About halfway along the lagoon, the road forks and you will see a sign on the right for The Marine Mammal Center. Bear right, up the hill. Soon you'll see a small driveway heading uphill on your right with Center's sign displayed. Park where "visitor parking" is indicated. {This item is now in the Orientation Packet, except for the driving directions.}

China Camp State Park - Mentioned in the Orientation Packet/What to See & Do. Point it out as a gem of a little park that is extremely close to the hotel. Best reached by car.

Mount Tamalpais State Park � {This is expanded info supplementing that in the Orientation Packet; driving directions in Packet.} Mount Tamalpais in Marin County is world-renowned for its high scenic vistas of the Bay Area and the Pacific Ocean (scenic overlook spots are reachable by car). Rising to 2,571 feet, Mount Tamalpais was the onetime home of the Miwok Native Americans. For many years after the arrival of Europeans, the mountain featured what was advertised as one of the most crooked railways in the world. Picnic areas, campgrounds, fishing, 200 miles of horseback riding, biking, and hiking trails (some with considerable elevation change), refreshment stand (at the East Peak Summit), are all available. Call 388-2595 for recorded info, or Park Headquarters at 388-2596. Entry fee $3.

Muir Woods National Monument � {This is expanded info supplementing that in the Orientation Packet; driving directions in Packet.} The historic Muir Woods National Monument (located within Mt. Tamalpais State Park) is acclaimed for its beautiful redwood trees and charming streams. There are gorgeous walking paths (some paved) that are very flat and easy, taking you through inspiring redwood groves. Cafe for snacks and gift shop for souvenirs. Visitor Center has environmental dioramas and exhibits about the park and its flora and fauna. $3 entry fee. Call 388-2595 for recorded visitor info, or 388-2596 for Park Headquarters; call the TTY line at 415-556-2766, for the hearing impaired.

Guide Dogs for the Blind, San Rafael Campus � One-hour free docent-led tours of campus, very near hotel. For 7 or fewer persons, drop-in tours are at 10:30 am and 2 pm, Mon-Sat, no reservation required. For 7 or more persons, up to 45, you MUST make a reservation ahead of time; tours are at 1:30 pm, Mon-Sat. Must be able to walk (flat, easy terrain) and stand for an hour. See sheet in BACL binder for more details, and driving directions/map. Call Sharon Kret at 492-4182 to make reservation.

Evaluation Sheet -- Please fill out and turn in the last night or departure morning. It's important. It allows us to know how to make the program better for you. Please be sure to tell participants to give us feedback on all comedians and closing night entertainers on their evaluation sheets. We suggest that you tell them just before morning class starts on the day a comedian appears, regardless of what time the appearance is. {Hosts now have their own separate Evaluation Sheet (part of the Host All-in-One packet) which we request that you fill out and send to Barry Adler along with the others.}

How to call in-hotel -- Just dial 7 and the person's room number. Tell them your room number and that they should call you if there is any problem. We feel responsible for them and want them to tell us if they aren't feeling well or if they need to leave before the program ends. BE SURE TO GIVE THEM YOUR ROOM NUMBER.

Bus Tours: The bus has a bathroom on board. People in wheelchairs can come if they can walk up several bus steps. Their wheelchairs can be stored on board. We will have a San Francisco city tour (4 hours start to finish) for both 3 and 5 night programs. Five night programs will have an additional 4 hour excursion around Marin County, to view the Frank Lloyd Wright Marin Civic Center (with docent tour), the charming Mediterranean-like town of Sausalito (for free time), and the Marin Headlands.

Dinner -- (See paragraph about meals on p. 2) Dinner will be served in a conference room. Lunch and dinner are served while seated. Lunch will be served in a banquet room (to be served lunch, participants must remain in designated banquet area). Breakfast will be served cooked to order in Rings Restaurant. Ask people to be on time for meals! Also, out of consideration for the whole group, participants should wait to go back for second portions until everyone has gone through the line. Please wait to be seated until everyone has received their food. Monitor the food and let the waitstaff know if a food item is getting low.

Menu -- We have worked out a menu that we think will be satisfactory to everyone. It is tasty and nutritious. However, no special requests can be made of the kitchen; we cannot accommodate special diets. If someone needs something special, there is a gift shop/newsstand in the hotel which sells snacks and drinks, or the closest supermarket is Safeway (see address/phone #'s at end of manual). Remind them they can keep such items in their room fridges, and heat things in their microwaves.

Housecleaning -- The rooms will be cleaned daily. The beds will be made (linens changed only upon request), waste-baskets emptied, bathrooms cleaned and suite amenities replenished. If hostelers need fresh towels, they may dial "0" for the hotel operator to make a request. Note: The hotel has a policy in place that if a guest leaves their towel(s) hanging on the towel rack(s), the housekeeping staff will NOT replace it with a fresh towel. Instead, if you leave your towel lying around anywhere but the towel rack (such as dropping it on the floor or the bed), housekeeping WILL replace it with a fresh towel. This is aimed at reducing energy and water usage for unnecessary laundering. Please let hostelers know about this policy so that if they want a new towel, they know what to do, and to prevent them from mistakenly leaving towels off the rack.

Phones -- You will have two speaker-telephones with voice-mail in your room. The Embassy Suites Front Desk will transfer calls to your room. If you are not present in your suite, your messages will be picked up by voice mail. If you want to use the telephone in your room, when you check into the hotel the clerk at the desk will ask you for either a $50 cash deposit or your credit card impression. NOTE: You will be given an invoice by the Embassy Suites desk at check-out time for all telephone calls you make from your room (local as well as long distance calls). Local calls and credit card calls are charged a $1.00 access fee plus the per-minute cost of the call by the local phone company, and after 60 minutes of talking, the hotel charges a fee of 10 cents per minute. The hotel does not charge a fee for 800-number calls made on your calling card, if the call is under 60 minutes. After the first 60 minutes talking via a calling card, the hotel charges a fee of 10 cents for each additional minute. Direct dialing on long distance calls is charged at the phone company’s prevailing rate (which is over $1 per minute). You can pay the telephone bill and early arrival or late departure fee at the front desk by cash, traveler's checks, or major credit card upon departure. PERSONAL CHECKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED by the Embassy Suites. As of September 2007, pay phones are NO LONGER available.

Mobile Phones -- Please be sure to remind participants to kindly either turn off their mobile telephones, or set them to Etiquette or Silent Mode (in which the phone will vibrate instead of ringing). Also request that if they want to take the call, to please go outside the classroom to speak. We would like to provide a peaceful classroom setting.

Pool, Jacuzzis, Fitness -- The heated pools and jacuzzi are open 24 hours a day. There is also a 24-hour fitness center, including a jogging/walking track and exercise machines. Access is by using your room key.

Other Hotel Amenities -- Gift Shop/Newsstand (with snacks/drinks); beauty salon; safety deposit; lounge/bar; laundry/valet service (Mon. thru Sat.- costs extra! Have clothes in by 8 am, get back same day between 5 and 6 pm) or coin laundry (located only on the fourth and fifth floors); ATM machine in hotel; free baggage storage (tip recommended); ice machines located on each floor; complimentary use of hotel's two wheelchairs (first-come, first-served; subject to availability). There are three free internet terminals with high-speed connections (all have printers; free printing): One is available 24 hrs daily, in the lobby, near the bellman’s stand; the other two are in the Gift Shop (hours are 7 am-10 pm daily). The hotel has wi-fi as well (wireless internet access) throughout the property. Guests would pay $9.95 for 24 hours' use of this service. Guests may connect a laptop computer with their own telephone line to the data port on each suites' phone, for dial-up access (there is no cost to dial up as long as the guest has a local access phone number, which they should get from their internet service provider; if not, local toll or long distance toll charges will apply). Guests may ask the staff at the Lobby Desk to fax things for them (complimentary).

Name Tags -- Ask people to wear their name tags every day so we can all get to know each other faster. As of Jan. 2007, we switched to name tags with clips instead of strings.

Classroom Socializing -- Sometimes people like to socialize in the classroom during the afternoon or night. If the classroom door is locked, tell the lobby desk and they will have someone (manager on duty) open it. When they're done, someone MUST either go to the lobby desk or call on the house phone and tell the hotel that they're done. The manager on duty should come out to lock up the classroom then. Please post the sign that states this policy in the classroom at the beginning of the week, and be sure to inform the hostelers about what they need to do. The sign should be kept in the supply box between programs. We provide Scrabble and decks of playing cards. There's a sign-up sheet for bridge in your Host's All-in-One Packet.

Free Afternoons (5 night programs: The free afternoons are usually Monday and Thursday) -- Show "San Francisco in the Movies" video. Suggest that if anyone's not interested in the videos, they can visit any of the local attractions we've listed in the Orientation Packet, and if they don't have a car, they can rent one (see next paragraph).

Car Rental Info: Hostelers may rent a car from National Car Rental or Enterprise by arranging with the staff at the lobby desk. 1) National Car Rental in San Rafael, (415) 451-1920. They can drop the car off at the hotel (weekdays are best). 2) Enterprise Car Rental in Mill Valley, (415) 784-0566. They will pick hosteler up and bring them to their office to pick up the car (weekdays only).

Embassy Suites Hotel Shuttle -- The free shuttle holds 7 passengers and will bring you anywhere within five miles of the hotel. It operates only Mon. thru Fri., 10 am-6 pm, and there is no set route. You must schedule/book your trip one day ahead. When you're dropped off at your destination, you may arrange a time you'd like the shuttle to pick you up.

Elderhostel passports -- Elderhostel has decided to reinstate their passport program, and is sending out passports directly to participants (BACL will not provide passports to hand out at programs). We will continue distributing our passport stickers.

Closing -- You can see we've got a great group of participants here and excellent instructors. We know it's going to be a wonderful week. Tell participants that you know that some of them are very tired because they've been traveling all day. Remind them that happy hour is 5:30 - 7:30 pm, and that during or after dinner, they may get drinks and return to the conference room starting at 6:30 pm, after which you will begin formal introductions (see 'Introductions' section below). {Play Elderhostel video.} And now, we'll lead you to the dining room.

{End of Orientation Session}

Introductions -- {Allow time for people to get drinks; begin when most or all the group has convened in the classroom, or the time you previously set.} The best thing about Elderhostel is that you meet great people. This is the time you get to meet this week's participants. How many first-time Elderhostelers do we have here? (Welcome them.) We're going to go across the rows. We'd like each person to stand, face the center of the group and in your loudest voice tell us 1) Where you are from, 2) your present or former occupation, 3) your hobbies, and 4) how many Elderhostels you've attended. (Don't let them start in on children and grandchildren; it takes up too much time.) This would be a good time to ask for a show of hands of people who are attending their first Elderhostel. If there are enough hands raised (at least several people), ask them who would like to view the 12 minute intro to Elderhostel video. If they're interested, go ahead and play it after Orientation, and let others know they aren't required to stay to watch. After Final Introduction -- As you can see, we have a wonderful group, and you'll have a whole week to get to know each other better. Good night, and sleep well!!

{Now announce that people may mingle freely in the conference room or back out in the Atrium.}

Make announcements each morning, using the Week in Review as your guide. Introduce the instructor at the beginning session of each course. The important points to know are:

Videos: 3 Night Programs - Usually there will be a class in the afternoon of Day 2 of a 3 night program, with free time afterward. Since you have shown the "Frank Lloyd Wright, Part 1" (1 ½ hrs.) documentary immediately after the Orientation session on Day 1, you can ask the group if they'd like to watch "Frank Lloyd Wright, Part 2" (1 hr. 17 mins.) after the afternoon class. Even though they aren't visiting the Marin Civic Center, some may wish to watch the videos and visit on their own during the free afternoon. If they don't want to see Part 2 that afternoon, show the 2-part documentary "SF in the Movies" (1 ½ hrs.) instead. You will then have the opportunity to show Part 2 of the Wright documentary after the Closing Night performance, if anyone is still interested in seeing it. This will not be listed on the Week in Review, so please discuss with the group whether they want to see it, and if so, show Part 2 at 7:45 or 8 pm.

Videos: 5 Night Programs - Usually the afternoon of Day 2 is free, so you should show the Frank Lloyd Wright documentary (both tapes), and the "SF in the Movies" video, back to back. You may also show either or both of these videos on the other free afternoon during the week for anyone who’s interested, or show one of the other videos we have provided in the supply box.

NOTE: IF BUS IS LATE: Call Marin Charters dispatch office at 415-461-4222. If you can't reach someone there, please call David Hughes in the business office (during normal business hours) at 415-256-8830. If possible, call the BACL office ASAP if the tour is on a weekday, and let us know of any problems. If on a weekend, please call the Kleinbergs (San Francisco tel: 415-584-9225; if no answer, call them in Cloverdale at: 707-894-0774). If the company providing the bus is SFO/Compass, call Dispatch at 650-246-2768. Our contact at SFO/Compass is Danny Finale, whose number (in normal business hours) is 650-246-2799. Lastly, if you are going on the Marin County tour and are running at least 10 minutes late, PLEASE CALL THE CIVIC CENTER TO LET THEM KNOW, as a courtesy. The phone number is 415-499-7048 (Charlie). Please remember to bring your Host Manual with you on the bus so you have this information at hand if the situation calls for it. Thank you very much!

            12:30 p.m., bus starts boarding outside the front of the hotel.
            12:45 p.m., bus leaves hotel!
            1:15 p.m. (approx.), reach Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza
            Bus driver will make stops at various San Francisco attractions *see note #2
            4:45 p.m., bus arrives at hotel.

* New Marin tour procedure!! Please get as exact a head count as you can for the Marin tour, and call it in to the BACL office as soon as you can. We need to keep a record of the number of people for each docent tour so that the Civic Center can bill us for the right amount of people. Thanks!

Marin County (5-nites only): Bus Schedule from 12:30-5:15 p.m. (Usually Wednesdays) –

            12:30 p.m., bus starts boarding outside the front of the hotel.
            12:45 p.m., bus leaves hotel!
            1 p.m., group begins docent-led tour of Marin Civic Center (1.25 hrs.). Group meets at escalator near front gate/entrance. They made a brochure about the Civic Center for Elderhostel groups which everyone can get at the gift shop, where the tour ends; up to 15 mins. to shop.
            2:30 p.m., depart Civic Center for tour of Marin Headlands (1.5 hrs. including round-trip travel time)
            4 p.m., arrive in Sausalito for 1 hr. shopping/sightseeing/freetime. *If raining, bus will drop off participants at the Bay Model Center (free admission).
            5 p.m., depart Sausalito
            5:15 p.m., arrive at hotel (dinner at 5:30 p.m.)

1- We do not collect tips for the bus driver. David Kleinberg is paying a gratuity to the bus company directly (which they should give to the driver), so please don’t pass around an envelope. Thanks!

2- Bus driver chooses which attractions will be best for the group (certain drivers have pretty static tour itineraries they like to stick to, but will make adjustments according to weather and/or traffic, and what the group may or may not be interested in).

3- If you have a San Francisco bus tour scheduled on a Monday, the bus company knows that they should NOT make a stop at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park (as it is closed Mondays). On all other days, this stop would include at least a half hour for participants to enjoy looking at the new building's stunning architecture, view some sculptural art in the inner art garden, browse the gift shop, or take a trip up into the viewing tower (which has an elevator). All these are free and open to the public.

For Three and Five-Night programs -- Closing Program will be a live performance, usually standup comedy, vaudeville or as indicated on the Week in Review. Generally, entertainment runs for about 45 minutes.

Evaluations -- Ask that they turn in their evaluations and name tags in the box you'll provide. Ask that they take their name card out of the tag before turning it in. Please let the group know that it will be most helpful to us if they can be as specific as possible about their suggestions (i.e., if a faucet is dripping their room, please let us know the room number).

Last Words -- Remind them again that check out is at noon tomorrow, so everyone should bring their luggage down to their cars or check it at the front desk on the last morning. They can call for a houseman to assist them. Be sure to tell group how glad you are that they all came and that you hope they'll come back again. We'd also love to see them at our other Bay Area BACL sites.

Returning Health & Safety Forms to BACL Office � Elderhostel (as of October 2006) now requires us to keep all Health forms for six months after a program date. Therefore, at the end of the program, remove the forms from their original envelope and insert them in the included (postage-paid) new envelope, addressed to the BACL office. Seal envelope and drop in the mail to us.

Returning Admissions Roster to BACL Office � Due to privacy concerns, we have decided that the Admissions Roster, used to check in participants on Day One, must be returned to our office so that we may properly dispose of it (by document shredder). Therefore, on the final day, please put the Roster in the envelope with the Name Tags and send to us.

11:30 am -- Fold all maps and put in map envelope, and put along with literature in plastic supply box. Please put name tags and Incident Reports (if any) in the envelope we have provided and put in the mail. Please include your own name tag and we'll save it for you for the next time you host! Note: Please DO NOT roll up name tags in a rubber band; thank you. Please put the evaluations in the other addressed, pre-stamped envelope and mail to Barry Adler. NOTE: If you choose to send your own Evaluation sheet for the program directly to the BACL office, we request that you make a photocopy of it and include one copy along with all the rest of the Evaluations. We’d like Barry Adler to be able to make a complete summary. The return address sticker for the Evaluations has a space where the date of the program should be written in; if it's blank, please fill in the appropriate date. Please recycle any extra printed papers such as orientation materials. Please: As a courtesy to the next EH Hosts, kindly tidy up the EH supply box before leaving the hotel! Also, if you notice any items missing from the supply box or items running low (such as tape, dry erase markers, etc.), please inform our office ASAP so we can order and send replenishments. 11:30-12:30 -- Lunch. Program is officially over. Thanks for doing a great job!!!

Hotel Staff -- Our main contact person is Lori Levy, Conf. Svcs. Mgr., who handles our Housing Lists and other issues; David Burdick, Catering Mgr.,

handles a/v equipment and BEO's (Banquet Event Orders, which lists a/v equipment needed by teachers, menus, etc.).

Bus tour company -- We employ Marin Charters. If the bus is late (or during non-business hours), please call the dispatch office at 415-461-4222. Business office is: 415-256-8830; speak to David Hughes. See more info above in Bus Itineraries section.

Urgent Care/Hospital -- Marin General Hospital-- Located 4 miles away on Alta Vista Way in San Rafael; medical problems and 24 hour emergency care (call 925-7209). The closest Kaiser Permanente hospital is located 2 miles away at 99 Montecillo Rd., San Rafael (call 444-2000).

Pharmacies -- A Rite Aid pharmacy is located 0.9 miles away at 1500 Northgate Mall (call 492-0888); a Safeway pharmacy is located 1.5 miles away at 950 Las Gallinas Ave. (call 472-8221); or there's a Walgreen’s pharmacy 4 miles away at 830 3^rd St. (call 455-9900). Dentists -- The closest dentists are Steve Chase, and Corinne Wycliffe at 4050 Redwood Hwy # A, San Rafael (0.66 miles away); call 499-7700.