Packing a Container

So you want to pack a container…

About 2 months before the donation or packing event:

1. Agree with WCE President (Tim Anderson) on a destination country. This will be determined by several factors, including both the deadline that country has set and the current inventory in stock.
2. Set a weekend dates and time that are compatible for some of the key volunteers who have previous event experience (ie in SF this is Richard Gingras, Richard van Horn, Gene, and Ken Pier). Most important is to have someone to lead testing (ie in SF this is Gene or Ken) and someone who can operate a forklift (ie in SF this is either of the Richards).
3. Make sure the date and time will work for your storage facility (ie in SF this is ABC Storage).
4. Plan for one-time volunteers to work about 10 to 4 on both days, and for core group of volunteers to get there earlier for planning and to (possibly) leave later.

About 1 month before the donation or packing event:

1. Decide where computer testing will take place, making sure that there is adequate access to a power supply. In the past, we have done testing out front outside ABC Storage, using extension cords to connect to the indoor plugs.
2. Send out a notification to the Yahoo group, high school clubs, and other recurrent volunteers.
3. Check on the supply of bubble wrap, shrink-wrap, and tape, and order more if necessary (www.transpak.com). Remember to get pre-approval for all expenses from Tim Anderson.
4. Locate a recylcer that will take dead equipment that you are stuck with at the end of the event.
5. Locate a recylcer that will provide equipment that you are missing during/after the event.

About 2 weeks before the donation or packing event:

1. Post volunteer requests on SERVENet: www.servenet.org, Volunteer Match: http://www.volunteermatch.org/ , Craigslist, etc for one-time volunteers.
2. Send a follow-up reminder to the Yahoo group. Begin to assign leadership roles to those volunteers with experience. Ideally, an experienced volunteer is needed to lead each of these teams: Wrapping/ Sorting, Palletizing/Packing, and Testing. In some cases, a team of volunteers will also be needed to move computers from another location to the packing location.
3. Make sure to have enough folding tables and chairs, extension cords, awnings, and coolers in good working order.

In the week before the donation or packing event:

1. Print up copies of a WCE summary for volunteers, and have WCE business cards on hand for volunteers and interested passers-by.
2. Purchase sodas and water bottles, and have the number for pizza delivery on hand. Keep receipts to send to Pam Cooney.
3. Make some WCE signs to place outside.
4. Reserve a Budget or U-Haul truck if necessary for moving stock from one location to another and make arrangements with Pam Cooney for payment.
5. Make sure that Tim Anderson has made all arrangements for delivery of the container to your site before the date.

Day of the donation or packing event:

1. Buy ice for drinks and donuts and keep receipts to send to Pam Cooney.
2. Bring a volunteer sign-in sheet and the WCE summary and business cards. If you will be accepting donations, bring along donation receipts.
3. Meet with core volunteers and go over the plan for the day’s events.
4. Set up a greeting table where volunteers will sign in by name and email address, get a WCE summary, and get refreshments.
5. Set up tables for testing with an awning above to prevent glare.
6. Make up an inventory sheet with separate columns for CPUs, monitors, keyboards, etc to add to as you pack. Note that Pentium and Power Mac equipment should be inventoried, labeled, and palletized separately.
7. Greet each volunteer as they come and assign them to one of the teams:
   1. Wrapping/ Sorting:
      1. This is a good task for those people who can’t or don’t want to do heavy lifting.
      2. Wrap each monitor in one layer of bubble wrap, with thickest part over the screen.
      3. Wrap each printer in one layer of bubble wrap.
      4. Sort, count, and box mice, keyboards, power cords, and other accessories.
   2. Palletizing/ Packing:
      1. This will require people who can do lifting, and someone who has had experience with palletizing in the past. Loading the pallets into the container will require someone to operate a pallet jack or drive a forklift (ie in SF its one of the Richards).
      2. Move computers to the area near the pallet and then help to load them on.
      3. Keep an inventory of the amount of CPUs, monitors with video cables, keyboards, power cords, mice, and printers wth data cables on each pallet. Label the pallet with this number (please make clear if this is a Power Mac or Pentium pallet), and keep a inventory tally separately and send this digitally to Tim Anderson.
      4. See separate palletizing sheet for more info
   3. Testing:
      1. Someone with some computer background (ie in SF its Gen or Ken) should be put in charge of testing.
      2. You will need an area with a power source, several power cords and strips, several working mice and keyboards, dry erase markers, and boot disks. Set up a working monitor, keyboard and mouse at each “station”.
      3. Each computer will need to be booted up and checked to make sure it works. In some cases, data will also need to be wiped.
      4. Monitors are much faster to test than CPUs, so save them for last.
      5. Have the testing leader re-check any computer that doesn’t initially work. If you are accepting computer donations at the same time - please help the donor move the dead computer back to their car
      6. Use a washable white board marker to mark each CPU and monitor either “ok” or “bad/no good”. (please remember the recipient school will want to remove this)
      7. See testing sheet for more detailed information.
8. Clean up and appropirately dispose of any dead equipment.
9. Arrange for the pick-up from a recyclcer of any missing pieces needed to complete the container

After the donation or packing event:

1. Send out thank you notes to volunteers.
2. Send inventory for each pallet to Tim Anderson.
3. Send all receipts to Pam Cooney.