[PeoplesPotluck] Re: organizing the next People's Potluck

[Randall Cotton]

John,

I'm sending your question about what needs to be done to organize the next
People's Potluck to the peoplespotluck list. I actually don't think
there's any one person who could give a full answer, but I *am* confident
that the set of all folks that could help paint the picture are included
in the peoplespotluck list (and we might have ideas and suggestions from
other folks on the list as well).

This is also a call for folks to join the 5 volunteer so far (see list
below) on the organizing committee for the next People's Potluck. The more
volunteers we have, the more can be done to organize, and the better the
event will be (I'm not volunteering this month, but have volunteered to
help organize the *July* People's Potluck). I think diversity is important
and perhaps overlooked (and this was voiced last night as well) so I
especially encourage women/minorities/young people/poor folks to join the
organizing group, even if it's just to offer perspective/opinion.

Things I think might be included in the todo list are:

1. Choose and reserve the date/time/venue (consider children and disabled
if possible)
2. Plan agenda, perhaps including compelling talk/presentation/performance
3. Arrange event logistics (seating, eating tables, audio (mic/speakers),
subgroup meeting areas, food, food tables, utensils, garbage (including
recycling/composting?), restrooms, child care/supervision)
4. Publicity of event, both for past attendees and community wide to
attract new, diverse attendees.
5. Call for and match event volunteers to handle day-of-event tasks
  a. setup before event (table/chair/food/drink/audio/garbage)
  b. food/drink/utensil/garbage help during event
  c. teardown/cleanup after event
  (perhaps only a single coordinator for each of a,b and c who can muster
the necessary help among attendees.

I'd say the very first thing is to set a date/time/venue so people get it
on their calendars and publicity can be started. I think that for maximum
attendance, people need at least 3 weeks notice. 2 weeks notice is still
decent.1 week notice will start to seriously cut into attendance. The
first Sunday in June is the 7th (exactly 4 weeks away). Sundays work well
for potlucks (giving working folks most of the weekend to prepare food)
and that's been the chosen day so far, but it doesn't have to be a
Sunday - Saturday could work well as a second choice with good advance
notice. Possible conflicts I'm aware of:

Socialist Forum - 3-4:30PM Saturdays? Do I have that time right on that?
CU Citizens for peace and justice - 4-5:30PM Saturdays
Quaker potluck (first Sunday of every month - what is the time on this?)
AWARE meeting - 5-6:30 Sundays
AWARE street demonstration 2-4PM first Saturday of the month

Can anyone else identify scheduling conflicts to avoid if possible?

R

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Lewis" <immerstudent at gmail.com>
To: "Randall Cotton" <recotton at earthlink.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 02, 2009 11:04 PM
Subject: Re: organizing the next People's Potluck


: Thanks for jumping on this.  What we need is a list of "things that need
to
: be done", presumably from someone who has organized one of these things
: before.  Who would that be?
:
: Thanks
:
: JohnL
:
: On Sat, May 2, 2009 at 10:05 PM, Randall Cotton
<recotton at earthlink.net>wrote:
:
: > Hi folks,
: >
: > As you know, I'm doing what I can to encourage the convening of a
group of
: > folks to organize the June People's Potluck. To reiterate, I'm not
: > volunteering to be in this organizing group (I won't have time this
month,
: > but I'm already volunteering to be in the group that organizes the
: > *following* month's *July* People's Potluck).
: >
: > So to start you all off, here is the contact information I gathered
for
: > each of you.
: >
: > Margaret & John Lewis
: >  [removed for privacy - RC] (John's cell)
: >
: > Chris Watson
: >  [removed for privacy - RC]
: >
: > Sophia Lewis
: >  [removed for privacy - RC]  (cell)
: >
: > Aaron Ammons
: >  [removed for privacy - RC] (home)
: >  [removed for privacy - RC] (cell)
: >
: > I encourage you to make contact right away and get started - the
sooner
: > you start, the easier things will be. If you so choose, your first
task
: > might be to recruit more committee members. And actually, unless I
hear
: > otherwise from you all, I plan on putting out a call *tomorrow* on the
: > peoplespotluck mailing list for additional folks to help you as part
of
: > this organizing committee on the peoplespotluck list.
: >
: > And on Monday, I propose to send out an even wider announcement
calling
: > for more committee members. Again, I'll proceed with that unless I
hear
: > otherwise from you all.
: >
: > I encourage you all to also bring on as many additional folks to the
: > committee as you like (and I would also encourage you to heed the call
for
: > diversity that was voiced at the Social Forum).
: >
: > Of course, as the event approaches, you may find that you need helping
: > hands to carry out the actual event. Unless we've recruited a huge
: > organizing committee that can take care of everything on their own,
I'm
: > guessing you'll want to make a call for and organize helping-hand
: > volunteers to assist you all on the day of the event.
: >
: > Margaret & John, I gather you're already on the peoplespotluck mailing
: > list. Aaron, Sophia, Chris, would you like to be added? (I could take
care
: > of adding you, since I'm one of the list administrators).
: >
: > I'd suggest the actual conversations within the planning committee be
kept
: > between members of that committee (and not the whole peoplespotluck
list,
: > though when you want to make announcements or calls for volunteers,
that's
: > probably the first place you'll want to post -
: > peoplespotluck at lists.chambana.net ).
: >
: > R
: >
: >
: