2014 Picnic Notes
These are the notes from 2014 which hopefully will help in 2015.
Reserve Foothills Park: Someone needs to have the GMCA banner and a few 8 1/2 x 11 sheets saying "GMCA Reserved 2 PM - 6 PM Today". The banner and signs on table need to be place by about 9 AM on the day of the picnic.
Tables and Chairs: Need to be arranged. We had 10 tables and 80 chairs in 2014.
Picnic Announcement Street Signs: Need to be placed a week before the picnic.
Tents: In 2014 we had one tent used over the face painter and the balloon man. Suggest a second tent be purchased to cover a combination of checkin and bounce house monitors. Dave W. reports he has tent we can use as the second tent.
Food and Drink: Steller Catering. Last year Diane ordered. A perennial favorite.
"As always, the quality and flavors of the foods were excellent. I strongly recommend that we continue to use Stellar Catering for our picnics in the future.
"After the picnic, the driver protected the leftover food and took it back to the Stellar preparation site and immediately refrigerated it. They had it all boxed up for me when I arrived to deliver the leftover food to the Action Center for consumption by residents of the Action Center shelter. Unfortunately, I found that there was an excessive amount of food left over. There were appropriate amounts of food of the following types that probably were used: fresh fruit, beans, cookies, buns, sauce. However, I felt the amounts of pulled pork and shredded chicken that were left over were excessive. There was a nearly full large pan of pork and a similar amount of chicken left over PLUS a medium sized pan, heaped high, with pork and one of chicken. All in all, I think I probably took between 15 and 18 pounds of cooked meat to the Action Center. I doubt that all of it was able to be used before it spoiled, unless they had a way to freeze it.
"Bottom line, whoever ordered the food from Jeff at Stellar Catering should advise him that, while we attempted to avoid its loss, too much meat food was prepared. He was very generous with the amount of meat he prepared for attendees to eat but people did not "heap" their sandwiches with meat but used a reasonable amount in each sandwich. In the future, for this kind of sandwich, I think he can prepare less for our picnics. (I have never had this much left-over meat over the past 3 or 4 years).
Carl"
"As always, the quality and flavors of the foods were excellent. I strongly recommend that we continue to use Stellar Catering for our picnics in the future.
"After the picnic, the driver protected the leftover food and took it back to the Stellar preparation site and immediately refrigerated it. They had it all boxed up for me when I arrived to deliver the leftover food to the Action Center for consumption by residents of the Action Center shelter. Unfortunately, I found that there was an excessive amount of food left over. There were appropriate amounts of food of the following types that probably were used: fresh fruit, beans, cookies, buns, sauce. However, I felt the amounts of pulled pork and shredded chicken that were left over were excessive. There was a nearly full large pan of pork and a similar amount of chicken left over PLUS a medium sized pan, heaped high, with pork and one of chicken. All in all, I think I probably took between 15 and 18 pounds of cooked meat to the Action Center. I doubt that all of it was able to be used before it spoiled, unless they had a way to freeze it.
"Bottom line, whoever ordered the food from Jeff at Stellar Catering should advise him that, while we attempted to avoid its loss, too much meat food was prepared. He was very generous with the amount of meat he prepared for attendees to eat but people did not "heap" their sandwiches with meat but used a reasonable amount in each sandwich. In the future, for this kind of sandwich, I think he can prepare less for our picnics. (I have never had this much left-over meat over the past 3 or 4 years).
Carl"
Disposition of Food: Where do the left overs go?
Volunteers Before Picnic Day
- Set Street Signs
- Confirm Face Painter
- Confirm Balloon Guy
- Confirm Food
- Confirm Tables and Chairs
- Confirm Bounce Houses
- Firehouse invitation delivered
- Any checkin give-aways like State Farm pens, chap stick, Republic water bottles, etc.
Volunteers Picnic Day:
- Setup Tents (about 1 PM. Food arrived at 1:30, Bounce houses at 2:00)
- Checkin
- Bounce House Monitors
- Children Games Helpers
- Cleanup, take down
- Photographer
Stuff Needed at the Picnic:
- Game supplies
- Door prizes
- Raffle tickets
- Brochures
- Check in Member Lists - need two for two greeters
- Rubber stamp to identify kids
- First Aid Kit
Bounce Houses: Veronica Pérez is bounce house. 2014 had two small bounce houses. Worked great. Located along main walk to picnic. Could be monitored from checkin tent if located about half way up the walk to the pavilion cover.
Outhouses: Not used in 2013 or 2014. Ken reports about a half dozen stated they wished an outhouse was available.
Music: We had a professional in 2013 and a boom box in 2014. There seemed to be enough going on, including noise, that music is not necessary.
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Balloon Guy: Worked fine in 2014.
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Face Painter: http://giggleloopsy.com/ seemed very good. $75 / hr.
Bubble Person: Not used in 2014. It a tough act, particularly on a windy day.
Kids Games: Allison did a great job in preparing for and executing the children's games. This is an important part of the picnic and could be touted more.
- Football throw
- Sack race
- Clothes pin drop
- How many in the jar? (4)
- Bozo buckets .
Fire Truck: Dave M. took a printed invitation to the fire house about a week before the picnic. That was so they could post it. They showed up with two trucks and were a hit.
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Neighborhood Liaison "Dave, I did get your email invite and recent voicemail. I greatly apologize. I got your picnic mixed up with one coming up this Thursday. I would have loved to attend and if you send me an invite in the future, I will do my best to be there. I hope all is well in the neighborhood. Please let me know if there is anything I can do. Thanks, Chad Martinez, Agent 1960, South Sector Liaison Unit, Lakewood Police Department, 303-987-7385, [email protected]
Kite contest: Maybe an idea. In fact Murphy had a kite but the wind wasn't there. ??
Door Prizes: We had two King's cards for $25 each and a 32" TV purchased at Walmart (Paul's was out) for $240. Maybe we could mix it up. Maybe solicit certificates from local businesses??
Card Tables: One for checkin that (opinion) should be located down by the bounce houses so that checking precedes bouncing. (We had card tables for the painter and the balloon man. Both had their own setup and didn't need them.)
First Aid Kit: We should have one. Firemen provided bandaids in 2014.
2014 Sign-in data: Here are the numbers for the picnic which do not count firemen, politicians or anyone missing the signed in.
Total attendance 144
Total residences represented 52
Total residences paid 37 including the 8 new pays
Total residences not paid 15
In attendance paid 106
In attendance not paid 38
Number paid at picnic 8 for $200.00
Total attendance 144
Total residences represented 52
Total residences paid 37 including the 8 new pays
Total residences not paid 15
In attendance paid 106
In attendance not paid 38
Number paid at picnic 8 for $200.00