04/25/2014
Below is the email that went out last night to all of our pre-registrants. This email is very important, as it has the official rules and info you need to know in order to make this event a success. Please read all the way to the end. If you still have questions please do not hesitate to ask:)
Hello Great Cloth Diaper Change Attendants,
Here is a run down for the Great Cloth Diaper Change this year of 2014. Please read all the way through. First, I’d like to thank you for participating in this worldwide event to help promote the cloth diapers that we all love so much.
A little background about the Great Cloth Diaper Change; this whole event started 4 years ago as a way to help spread the word of cloth diapers as an alternative to disposable diapers. The Real Diaper Industry Association (RDIA) is behind the event. The RDIA is a nonprofit organization to help educate the world that cloth is a better option for baby, the environment and your wallet. Each of us, Beth (Modern Cloth previously Teeny Turtle) , Kelly (eat / sleep / play) and Katherine (Lowcountry Diaper Service) have been members of the RDIA for years now. We really believe in their mission and help them raise money during these events to achieve their goals.
The Great Cloth Diaper Change is a part of the North Charleston Earth Day Festival this year. Our event actually kicks off the whole festival. The festival is being held at the Old Navy Base at 1001 Everglades Dr. , North Charleston, Sc, 29405. I have attached a map to this email in case you haven not been there before. Parking is limited, so the City of Charleston is providing shuttles that will run constantly from the parking spaces to the festival grounds. These shuttles start at 10am and will run all day. In addition we have permission to park some cars in the small parking lot near the playground, which is a much shorter walk to the changing area. Please reserve these spots for those who need the shorter walking distance. This parking lot is a bit of a hidden trail, so follow the signs for the food trucks. I have also attached a map of the Navy Base so you can see where to park and where the Change will be located. For those of you familiar with the park, it is under the big metal structure (see attached photo) in the corner of the park. Be sure to get there early to account for the shuttle ride over to the Change area.
Because we are striving to break the world record from the 3 previous years, we need to abide by some very specific guidelines that Guinness has put in place for us.
First rule is that your child must be 39” or shorter. We will have a measuring stick at the registration desk.
Second rule is that the child must be changed into a 100% reusable diaper. This definitely means no disposables and no hybrid diapers, where the outside is reusable but the inside is disposable. It does not matter what your child shows up in as long as he/she ends up in a 100% reusable cloth diaper.
Third rule is that the diaper you change your child into must be commercially available. This is the tricky rule. This just means that you or a friend cannot have made the diaper at home. If you can purchase the new diaper online from a reputable site such as a manufacturers website, Etsy, etc, or if you can purchase the diaper in a physical store, then it is commercially available.
Fourth rule is that the Change area must be separated with a barrier of some type with a clear entrance and exit. This is more for us Hosts, but for you it means that once you are in the changing area you must stay in the changing area until after the event. The event itself should only take a few minutes from start to finish. It is not a race to see who can change a diaper the fastest so take your time; there is no time limit according to Guinness.
Fifth rule is that only 1 adult (18 years or older) is allowed per 1 child. No extra people are allowed in the changing area and 1 person is not allowed to change multiple babies.
Once you arrive we will have a registration table set up, please make your way to the table and get into the appropriate line. The line will be separated A-M & N-Z based on your last name that you registered with. At the registration table you will need to show a picture ID and sign a photography waver (will explain below) and an insurance waver. If you need to make any changes to the information on your registration form, you may do so at this time. You will also receive your goodie bag (if you were one of the first 100 registrants) and your official certificate of participation with your child’s name on it. You will also be able to purchase t-shirts at this time. There will be a separate table if you wish to purchase raffle tickets they are $1/each cash only. All proceeds go to the RDIA. We will also have all the items available for the raffles on the table to look at. Each raffle item will have it’s own bag in front to place your raffle ticket into. This way you can choose which items you want to have a chance of winning.
We strongly encourage everyone to start filing into the changing area at 10:30, shortly after that time we will start calling out the winners of the raffles/door prizes. The official Change happens at 11am sharp. There are no exceptions. “Doors” will close a few minutes before 11am so everyone can prepare for the change. If you are late, then you miss the Change and the chances to win the door prizes, sorry.
A note about the Photographer. Our official photographer this year is Tamara from Bump Meets Baby Photography. She is extremely talented and does her best work with babies and children. We are very lucky that she is taking time out of her day to come help us out with some amazing photographs. There will be a before photograph taken of everyone holding up the diaper they are going to use for the change and an after shot of everyone holding up their newly changed baby. Please do not take any photographs or videos during the actual change! Tamara is the only one allowed to take photographs during the actual change and has assured us that they are decently censored.
The weather. Unfortunately, it looks like it might rain the day before so it might be a tad wet. The Change takes place on a concrete slab with few tables; please reserve the tables for smaller babies. Please bring changing pads for your babies only a handful can be provided.
We are extremely excited to be hosting the Great Cloth Diaper Change for the 4rd consecutive year in Charleston. Your official hosts are Beth and Kelly from Modern Cloth and eat / sleep / play and official sponsor is Katherine from Lowcountry Diaper Service. We appreciate everyone’s participation in this community event; we could not have put it together without your help.
We are really excited to see everyone again this year. Please contact a host if you have any questions.
