Tips and Tools for Group Organizers

If you are interested in booking a program at Genesee Valley, please follow these steps:

1. Thoroughly review our website to gain a clear understanding of our programs

2. Contact us to clarify any information

3. When ready to book, call or email our office with the following information:

• Group Name
• Contact Person
• Address
• Phone
• Requested program dates (at least 3; or day of week/month, etc)
• Arrival Time
• Departure Time
• Number of participants*
• Age of Participants

*Because you will be obligated to pay for either the actual participant number or the contracted number, whichever is larger, it’s a good idea to underestimate your initial number.

Once we have set a date, we’ll email contract materials. From here, please follow these steps:

1. Return the signed contract and a 50% deposit or Purchase Order within 7 business days of booking.

2. You can inform us of updates to your numbers up to one month before the program date. If numbers drop after this deadline, you will still be required to pay for the contracted number.

3. Distribute Genesee Valley information to all participants, and encourage them to visit our website as well, so everyone knows what to expect. While it    may seem exciting to keep the trip as a surprise, we've found this sometimes causes additional anxiety, suspicion or resistance from group members, all of which can make the start of the day quite challenging for our facilitators. 

4. Submit a proof of liability insurance within 2 weeks of your program.

5. Identify any special needs or medical concerns (physical, emotional, mental, etc) in the group.**

6. Return the Group Information Form within 2 weeks of your program. This sheet is crucial for our preparation and planning.

7. Arrange lunch if participants are not bringing their own (see below for local restaurant information).

8. Check in with us to see how many facilitators we will have available for your group (most likely 1 for every 10-11 participants), so you can pre-divide your group accordingly.

9. We will do a final call or email to touch base a few days before the program to make sure you are fully prepared. 

**The better prepared we are for the day, the more successful the program will be. We have a number of different ways to adapt our activities and elements to accommodate participants with various needs. In the past, we have successfully worked with participants that have limited mobility, no use of their arms or legs, prefer no lifting or walking long distances, etc. If we know about these needs ahead of time, we can prepare activities that provide similar opportunities for success for everyone in the group. Additionally, it is extremely important to inform us of any serious medical concerns (heart or respiratory conditions, allergies, etc), so we can be on alert and prepared to respond if needed. 

Local Restaurant Information

Pizza
Michael's Pizza, Hereford: 410-357-8333 (will deliver, arrange in advance for large orders)
Red Cafe, Parkton: (410) 357-5026  (deli platters also available)

Deli style
Graul's Grocery, Hereford: 410-329-6221
Panera Bread, Hunt Valley: 410-329-1134
Wegman's, Hunt Valley: 410-773-3900

There is also a convenience store, Wally's BP gas station, located just up the road. They serve sandwiches, subs and pizza to order. Groups typically only have 30 minutes for lunch, however, so this may not be the most efficient option.