Heartwood Host Guidelines

09/14/08



General Parameters

What is a Heartwood Host?  A Heartwood Host helps make arrangements for visitors who come to Heartwood for a tour, overnight, meal, etc.  Any resident member -- renter or homeowner, new member or old-timer -- may be a Heartwood Host.  The job of a Heartwood Host is to make visitors feel welcome, to answer questions about living here, and to give an impression of Heartwood that is real and honest.  Hosting visitors is one of the best ways we market Heartwood for potential future residents, as well as for “spreading the gospel of cohousing”.


Who are the visitors? Visitors usually fall into one of a few categories: those interested in Heartwood for future membership; those visiting from other cohousing communities; or those wanting to start their own cohousing or intentional community.  They may come for an hour or may want to spend a night or two.  Heartwood Hosts are NOT responsible for personal guests (friends or family) of other members.



How do you become a Heartwood Host?

Hosting duties are on a two-week rotation.  Choose one of the two week time slots when you know you’re going to be in town and available to spend a little time preparing for and meeting and greeting visitors.  Sign up on the on-line calendar or ask a Membership team member to sign you up.  We may or may not have visitors during your two week time slot – it’s the luck of the draw.  If you don’t have to host visitors during your two week time slot, feel free to sign up for another two weeks.  If you need to change your schedule after signing up, please find someone else to cover your dates or to switch dates with and make this change on the calendar.



Here’s How It Works

How do you know if you have visitors?  Ronda and Anne are the initial contact people for Heartwood. When they are contacted by a visitor, they find out the time frame of the visit and make reservations in the on-line calendar.  You will receive an email message and/or phone call notifying you if visitors have been scheduled during your hosting period.  Ronda or Anne will provide you, at a minimum, the visitor’s name, the dates of their visit, and their contact information.  They will also notify the visitor of the name and contact information of their Heartwood Host.  It is not a bad idea to check the on-line calendar as your hosting period draws near, to make sure there are no surprises!



What are Your Responsibilities as Heartwood Host?

  1. 1.Make contact with the visitor before they arrive.  Inform them of HW events (meals, meetings, etc) that are scheduled during their visit.  Find out why they’re visiting and what they hope to experience during their visit.  Help them arrange the logistics -- sign them up for meals; put them in touch with other members they may be interested in connecting with, if appropriate.  If they haven’t already emailed a bio, solicit one, and and post it to the HW chat so that the community knows who is coming and when.  Refer the visitors to our website (www.heartwoodcohousing.com) for more information about Heartwood and/or other local and regional links.  Give the visitors directions to Heartwood, and arrange to meet them when they arrive or let them know how/when to find you after they get here.

  2. 2.Prepare the guest room, if they are staying overnight.  Make sure the sheets and towels are clean, trash empty, floor vacuumed, etc.  Make sure the bathroom is clean.  When they arrive, help them get oriented to the Common House and guest room situation.  Give them a donation envelope for the $20 per night suggested donation for the room, and ask them to put money for common meals ($5 per adult, $3 per child) in the jar at the meal.  Let them know they can use the kitchen for food storage/preparation, (ask them to put their name on items in the refrigerator, and remove all food when they leave).  Show them how to do their personal laundry in the CH laundry room, and ask them to add the money for laundry (50¢ for each washer load and $1 for each dryer load) to their donation.  Ask them to strip their beds, put dirty sheets and towels in the laundry hamper in the guest room, and put clean sheets on the beds before they leave.

  3. 3.Give them a tour of Heartwood, introduce them to people, and give them suggestions of what to see or do while they are here.  If appropriate, help them arrange to visit any available properties for sale or rent.  If possible, accompany them to meals or other events they plan to attend.  If they are interested in pursuing membership, refer them to our Membership agreements on our website AND/OR put them in touch with Anne or someone else on our Membership team.

  4. 4.After they leave, make sure the room is ready for a new guest.  Check that the guest room bedding is back on the bed(s).  Launder the used sheets and towels within 48 hours (please use the CH laundry room and the CH detergent) and put them back in the appropriate guest room. Label donation money (name and date) and put it in the HOA mail box.  If the visitor is at all interested in HW membership, be in touch with the Membership team and make sure they have the visitor’s contact information and any other pertinent information about their visit.

Previous Guideline

Back to Guidelines Table of Contents

Next Guideline