Team Leaders, welcome to the Great Northern Regional at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND (http://www.aleruscenter.com ). Here are a couple of websites that contain lots of useful event information.
FIRST event website (https://www.firstinspires.org/team-event-search/event?id=37636 )
FIRST Minnesota website (https://mnfirst.org/the-great-northern-regional/ )
Mentors, We Need You!
Our inspection crews for this year’s regional events are understaffed. If your team has ever waited an hour or more for an inspector, just imagine how long the wait will be if we only have half as many inspectors available! By volunteering as an inspector, you can help reduce those wait times and ensure every team at the event performs to the best of their abilities – whether they are on your alliance or playing against you!
Worried that your team needs you in the pit? The great part about inspecting is that you’re still in the pits – they can find you and ask questions throughout the event! You’ve spent all season training them and getting them ready for the big show – it’s time to give them room to prove themselves, while still being nearby in case they really need help.
Please join us as a robot inspector* at our Minnesota and North Dakota Regional events! Registration is via firstinspires.org. Log into your FIRST account and follow the prompts to Event Volunteer. We look forward to having you join our crew and lessen the line!
*Position comes with a cool volunteer shirt and free meals! Other positions are available, too, just ask!
Your friendly LRI crew,
Jon (Great Northern)
Nick (Northern Lights)
Matt (Lake Superior)
Katie (10,000 Lakes)
Mike (North Star)
Team lunches
The Great Northern competition is held in the Alerus Center which has vendor contracts that prohibit the public from bringing their own food and drinks to an event. This rule applies to teams and spectators. Your cooperation in getting Team members are encouraged to bring empty water bottles, as there will be refill stations around the venue. Concessions will be open.
Team lunch order forms are found here (https://mnfirst.org/the-great-northern-regional/great-northern-lunch/ ) and are due by March 8th. The meals will be served on the Alerus stadium floor and are quite convenient.
Load-in
Load in is Wednesday from 6pm -9pm and Thursday morning 7:45am 8:30am. Please see this webpage for details and maps:
https://mnfirst.org/the-great-northern-regional/great-northern-load-in/
Railcar Competition
To celebrate the history of the event name, the Great Northern Railway, the Railcar competition is in its second year. If you havent built a railcar before, your team is missing out. This year railcars need to have eyebolts on front and back and must be able to be pulled by an engine (i.e., they need wheels that roll). For pictures of last years cars and details on this years build, please see this website (and you can still register even though it says Feb 15th is the deadline):
https://mnfirst.org/the-great-northern-regional/great-northern-railcar-competition/
Team Seminars
If your team would like to host a seminar, please send me a (MarkBLawrence @gmail.com). Seminars are held on Thursday afternoon and typically 50 minutes in length. I cant guarantee that all seminars will be held because of time and space limitations.
Digi-Key tours
One of the event sponsors, Digi-Key, is willing to give tours of their facility in nearby Thief River Falls. Having done this, I can say it is fascinating. Here is the Digi-Key contact if your team is interested:
Mark Schmitke
Manager Community Relations and Events
DIGI-KEY ELECTRONICS
mark.schmitke@digikey.com
218.681.8000 x1028 (local)
218.686.4114 (mobile)
Student Ambassadors
We are looking for students to act as tour guides during the event. The primary time for tours is Friday right after lunch. Sign up and training details will be available in the next update.
Regards, Mark Lawrence
Chairman, MN FIRST Regional Planning Committee