Guidelines for Planning the Summer Picnic

MVFD Picnic Guidelines

August 14, 2008

 

MVFD Council should decide each year if a picnic is to be scheduled.  As shelter reservations may need to be made up to a year in advance, the decision must be made for the following year’s picnic.

 

The picnic may be scheduled for any day, but since 2000, the picnic has been held on the August 2^nd Sunday.  This date may be changed at the convenience of the MVFD Council.

 

Shelter reservations must be made early, possibly up to a year before.

Usually, a resident of the shelter’s city must make the reservation.

In the 70s, the picnic was held at the Harts home (large outdoor driveway & patio, large backyard, etc).  When that was discontinued, the picnic was held only sporadically.

 

Some feel part of the point of the picnic is to be dancing out in public where other people might see us and ask about the activity. 

Council decision on whether this is a point of the picnic or not may drive selection of shelter or park or even someone’s home.

 

Shelter selection –

• Delco Park has aluminum tables which are reasonably easy to move.  Decent indoor restrooms are a short walk away.  There is power at the shelter.  Area is not wooded, however shelter provides a lot of shade.  There is often a nice breeze off the pond.
• Indian Riffle park has very heavy metal tables which are very difficult to move.  Indoor restrooms are a long walk away.  Port-a-johns are a short walk away.  There is power at the shelter.  Lots of trees in the area.

 

MVFD Council is responsible to appoint a Chair and/or Committee to organize the picnic.

It is the Program Committee’s responsibility to provide the dancing for the afternoon.

 

A.     Responsibilities of the Chair/Committee:

1.      Make sure reservation has been made, if using a park or shelter

2.      Set start and end times; set eating time – for a picnic held on an Ethnic Sunday, these times tend to match normal Ethnic Sunday times

3.      Decide what MVFD is and isn’t providing

a.       table service or not

b.      meat or not

c.       drinks (water & lemonade)

d.      charcoal for grilling

4.      Create or have someone create a flyer to advertise the picnic.  Info on the flyer should include

a.       start and end times, and eating time, or dancing times and eating time

b.      what MVFD is providing  (for example:  music, dancing, water, lemonade, cups, charcoal)

c.       what participants need to bring with them (for example:  covered dish, meat to grill, table service)

d.      location of the picnic, directions, map

5.      Advertise the picnic to MVFD, via announcements, email, newsletter, flyers, etc.

6.      Arrange for the things MVFD is providing to get to the picnic.  These things might include:

a.       Water – can use large thermos from the Pavilion – check it in advance, it may need to be bleached first

b.      Lemonade – check with Kitchen Chair for MVFD stores, if not available then buy – can use large thermos from the Pavilion – check it in advance, it may need to be bleached first

c.       Ice – for the water and lemonade – can put it directly in thermos or in ice chest

d.      Ice Chest – optional, depends if you think you need open ice

e.       Cups – to drink from

f.        Charcoal – need at least one bag, two might be better

g.       Lighter fluid – to start the charcoal a-burning

h.       Long matches – check Pavilion stores or MVFD stores for matches

i.         Aluminum Foil – to cover the grill – check Pavilion stores or MVFD stores

j.        Paper to cover the tables – optional – check Pavilion table closet – or bring lots of tablecloths – or don’t worry about it

k.      A broom – to sweep the shelter dance floor – could be assigned to program committee

l.         Table service – if being provided by MVFD – check MVFD & Pavilion stores first

m.     Meat & buns – if being provided by MVFD – like hotdogs & burgers

7.      Set up picnic shelter

a.       Work with program committee to decide where the dance area should be.  Someone should bring a broom or brooms to sweep the dance area.

b.      Work with the program committee to move tables as necessary for the dance area.  The tables are usually VERY HEAVY.  Recruit several people to help move tables around.  Don’t hurt yourself.

c.       Decide where the food should be set up, where the drinks should be set up.  Lemonade attracts bees.  Trash cans attract bees.  A breeze will blow smoke from the grill around.  Be aware of these things as you decide what should be where.

8.      Reset picnic shelter – we need to leave it mostly as we found it

a.       Move tables back to where they were – recruit help!

b.      Properly dispose of trash and garbage – try not to leave a food mess for bees, insects, animals to feast upon.

c.       Make sure everything leaves that came.  Check for forgotten items.  Bring any forgotten items to MVFD.

 

B.     Responsibilities of the Program Committee:

1.      Arrange for dance music for the duration of the picnic – bring CDs and boombox from Pavilion, or bring laptop and powered speakers, or work with Equipment and Recordings chair for other convenient means to provide dance music.

a.       Extension cord – may be needed – check in advance if the shelter has power.  Not all shelters have power outlets!

2.      Work with the picnic Chair/Committee to select a dance area.  Someone should bring a broom or brooms to sweep the dance area. 

3.      Work with the picnic Chair/Committee to move tables as necessary for the dance area.  The tables are usually VERY HEAVY.  Recruit several people to help move tables around.  Don’t hurt yourself.

4.      Appoint one or more people to oversee/play the music for the duration.  Recommend this be informal as members will tend to take over as they see fit.  It would be nice if the overseeing person or persons had the ability to read the crowd and select diverse and appropriate dances for the crowd when there are no requests. 

5.      Provide the opportunity for members to request dances.  Can be done with a sheet of paper or just let folks add to the play list on the computer.

6.      Arrange for the music and sound equipment to be returned from whence it came so it is ready for the next dance.