Participation

VAX is a completely OPTIONAL event. Now that BEAT has served us as a more traditional all-staff event, VAX is completely optional for you to attend. We do ask that if you come to VAX, that you plan to work on a project. If your team is a services related team, we ask that you find a way to rotate through the work while making time to work on a project.

We may also provide an optional avenue to participate on a company-themed project. This will be presented as a high level challenge that the company is currently working on and we'd ask you to provide solutions in the form of project ideas. This is a great option if you'd like to work on something that may directly impact the business and help you learn about another area of the company. We usually invite employees from other departments whose work relates to the theme to help us learn about the challenge and collaborate with us on our projects.

Altitude & Time Changes

Many of you live outside of the MT timezone. Please note this when booking travel and remembering how it will impact your energy levels at the event.

Additionally, the altitude change may affect some more than others, but there is no way to tell how it may impact you. It is best to take precautionary measures to ensure you have a safe and fun VAX. Here are some suggested tips to make the transition easier.

Travel

Please book your travel before August 2nd using Egencia and your travel budget code. We will reimburse travel to and from airports and train stations as well as checked luggage fees.

Arrive by: Tuesday August 27th at 4pm MT
Depart after: Friday August 30th at 1pm MT

Accommodations & Rooming

Accommodations will be assigned for you. We will not require double occupancy rooms this year, however, if you wish to room with someone please note that in the registration form. Rooming assignments will be made in a randomized first come first serve order with the exception of special accommodation needs.

Based on scheduling, everyone should plan to travel and check-in on Tuesday August 27th and check-out on Friday August 30th. Should you choose to arrive before or stay after those dates, you must make the arrangements yourself with the hotel.

You will note your check-in check-out dates in the registration form. (The only dates you should mark are those being covered by Vox Media so they should fall within the 8/27-8/30 timeframe). If you absolutely need to come before or leave after these dates, reach out to Ashley to confirm (international folks, I’m looking at you).

If you want to stay the weekend, wonderful! Please coordinate everything related to your personal stay by yourself. Here are the steps to do that.

Meals

All meals at VAX are covered. Some will be provided, e.g. breakfasts and our all-staff dinner, while others are reimbursable such as dinner on your free night or lunch on Thursday. It’ll note in the schedule which are scheduled vs. on your own.

Please follow a $20pp lunch policy and a $35pp dinner policy when expensing meals.

Please do not expense alcohol.

All provided meals will consider dietary restrictions and be clearly noted and communicated in advance of the event.

Wifi

We will have the Vox network installed at the hotel in addition to the regular room wifi access provided by the hotel.

Attire & Supplies

Pack smart. Bring layers for various inside and outside temperature fluctuations. Prepare for various weather conditions with proper sun protection and potential rain showers. Make sure you have chargers and supplies, if any, that are specific to your team’s project.

If you need to ship something to the hotel, contact Ashley Twaddell directly.

Communications

Internal

Slack
#vax-projects
#vax2019 - main chitchat channel
#vax-announce - solely for teamwide announcements, unmute during event
#vax-social - for organizing around social outings

Email
I will be using the PDT all staff email for vax comms. If you are not coming to VAX, please ignore.

External

Press: If you are at any point contacted by outside press organizations or interested in working with outside press regarding one of your projects, please go through our communications team and reach out to Emma VanSusteren on our communications team.

Product Team Blog: If you are interested in creating blog posts for the Vox Product blog, please sign up to be part of the VAX Support Committee on the registration page.

Hashtags: #VoxHacks #VAXDenver #VoxProduct #VoxMedia #denver

Twitter: If you have a tweet you would like VoxProduct to tweet, send it directly to Trei Brundrett in Slack and ask him to tweet it.

Photographs/Video: If you would like to volunteer to take official photographs or video please sign up in the registration form. Please note that before taking pictures of people and certainly before posting anything to the internet or social media platforms, we ask that you get verbal consent from your team members. If you would wish not to be photographed or mentioned online at all, please indicate that on the registration form.

Team Dinner & Trivia Night

On Thursday evening we’ll host an all-staff dinner to celebrate your participation in VAX. It will be a casual, sit where you like, come as you are affair with a buffet style meal and drinks. While this isn’t mandatory, we do ask that you make every effort to join us to celebrate with your peers.

After dinner, we’ll head out to Trivia (location is a surprise!) which will start promptly at 830pm.