These kinds of decisions should be made internally, .... ....but why not VCFed supply the core catered meal, publicize the menu, and then say if you want to bring something else, please RSVP so we can coordinate your donation to the event Bill On Mon, Nov 13, 2023 at 12:56 PM Thomas G via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
I was only around for about 20 minutes last festivus - but I do feel there is a way to have both potluck & catering - one for lunch one for dinner, as Ian proposes.
Perhaps I'm biased, since John's Cracker Barrel (no affiliation to the chain) was my suggestion for catering... and they DO have really good food...
But catering at least one meal takes some burden off of those manning the grill without totally eliminating the friendlier vibe of everyone bringing & sharing homemade food.
Just my three cents.
On Mon, Nov 13, 2023 at 11:42 AM Ian Litchfield via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
I have only been to one full Festivus since I am new blood. Last year I brought chips and donuts.
I agree it’s a good time for sharing with the community.
Maybe we cater some sandwiches for lunch and keep dinner to the community! I did enjoy the subs last year and thought it was a staple just due to my inexperience of the event.
I am willing to help with grilling stuff for dinner. I’ll bring a couple packs of Brats and dogs and sauerkraut. Does anyone else want to grab extra buns and/or additional sausages?
-Ian L.
On Mon, Nov 13, 2023 at 11:16 Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Yes, good input. Like many things it seems somewhere in the middle makes the most sense.
I would think that store or purchased lunch of hoagies makes sense (pizza is not optimal IMHO), with a dinner meal that is on the grill - hamburgers and hotdogs as per tradition. People should bring $ for this expense.
People should also be able to contribute by bringing snacks, drinks, desserts and various foods to share.
Going 100% purchased goes away from the community aspects of the group and then you fall into collecting cash and having to monitor freeloaders, which no one wants to do.
-andy
On Nov 13, 2023, at 8:23 AM, Douglas Crawford via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Good input, Herb. Jeff ran this by me, I thought it was worth considering and giving it a try. If, due to cost or other reasons, its not feasible, I'll volunteer for grill work this year and give the prior grillers a break.
And yes maybe we can do more to encourage more folks to bring a dish. We lost Jason Perkin's contribution - a huge hit! :-( Chris L- Wings are the bomb, if they aren't accounted for... well... the show must go on!
Jeff's working it out... lets see what he comes up with.
DC
On 11/12/2023 9:18 PM, Herbert Johnson via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
Herbert Johnson wrote:
Jeff, in more than a few words: what changed? What happened? [If you need help,] ASK. And explain. It's a month out, there's time. Let people know. On 11/12/2023 3:21 PM, Jeffrey Brace wrote: > What changed is that in recent years people were bringing less and less food.... So Bill and I spend $200 out of our own pocket to buy subs.. People are not contributing money towards buying food and there are usually one or two people cooking the burgers and hot dogs every year. I want to make it simple.. I want it to be more fun than work. I'm not sure what you mean by *full kitchen* [it has] sinks, tables, refrigerators, microwaves, toaster ovens. We also have the outside grill setup. [grilling is] me by default ... I do all the shopping a few days ahead .. OK, Jeff, first of all, thanks for the work, and effort! And thanks for making it clear, what has happened (not happened) in recent years! It's certainly not fair for you, and a few, to work so hard. And to pay out of your own pockets, that's just not right. Thank you for that sacrifice! And thanks for explaining. It makes sense, what you describe. Now, we know the situation. People can make informed choices and considerations, and respond to these things. Jeff, that's your main concern, right? People aren't responding - not bringing food, paying their way, helping out. Now I hear you! I think, myself, catering would be a loss. And, too expensive, maybe too hard to plan. I think bring-a-plate has the advantage, if we each pitch in - now that we know. I mentioned our kitchen facilities, it's a rare benefit for a social club. They allow us to have people bring home-cooked plates and dishes, keep them for hours or a day, warm them up and serve them. and to grill on-site too. Home-cooked food is (or was) better food than catered and fast-food. I also think, sharing prepared food together, is part of the social experience we've had every year. That was my experience in years prior. It was my experience last year, among the foods people brought, I won't explain details. How can catering compare to that? Surprises about some food, expecting other foods - that's all part of the event. Food isn't the main reason I go to Festivus. But it's a thing. After Covid, I don't dine out that often, eat meals from other people. Maybe others do, but I'm old, old people have to be cautious, need I explain? And you know, Jeff - I looked back at last year's discussion, to see if these were known issues? Just to see if I'm confused? Get a clue, why people didn't bring so much? And my apologies, but none of these issues were posted in last year's Festivus discussion. You posted thanks, people posted thanks in response
all in two days after the event. No complaints, no issues. You Jeff posted "constructive criticism, tell me privately". As far as food to bring, the post was "optional", not required or mandatory.
I saw last year's bring-to list - it was over a dozen people. But it included Jeff and two others, who posted they'd provide burgers, brauts, subs. The rest listed, was a few dishes but mostly snacks and sodas. However: in years past, people brought stuff without posting. In years past, there was more than enough food. But things change, changes aren't always clear to everyone. There's no fault here, Jeff - Covid happened, people got unsocial, new people, different habits about food. It's OK to say "this isn't working, here's why". Again: how would many of us know, if you didn't say so? And in a public way, so it's OK to talk about it? YOu don't have to do this alone, Jeff. Subs, pizzas? They are another matter. It's a lunch, a different class of eating. Such food doesn't "last", it's called fast food, right? Order on the spot for those present. Make sure to collect costs from them. I paid! Who didn't pay? That can be fixed. I guess charging per head in advance might be simpler. I paid what I was asked to pay; if it wasn't enough, I would have paid again, even to cover someone else. ------------ So I vote for bring-a-dish, and grilling too if you can get more help, Pizza and subs, too. People have to step up, pay for things, bring more and better food, help *when asked to help*. These could still happen, I believe. Now we know! Some of us, like sharing special dishes. The rest, well, buy some prepared food. Just have to be organized about it, know what to expect. But - you know, other people may think otherwise. I'm old, I'm used to cooking, in a kitchen? With produce and meats and things? Maybe others, consume take-out and DoorDash all the time. Maybe Covid changed how people think about public and social dining. Maybe it's about handling money? I don't know. It's a public discussion, others can post their interests. As for labor, helping out - I wasn't asked. I'm old, I'm not running around physically. There's no shortage of (sorry, younger) people there who could help. But if I'm asked, I'll respond if I can. I'll grill outside in the cold, if no one else will. So I'll see what comes out of this discussion. It's better to talk about it, get some consensus. It's a collective social activity, right? We can sort it out. Regards Herb Johnson