Go meat!

Oh yeah, so pictures from last Wednesday's Welcome/Welcome Back Cookout have been posted! >Click here to check them out<

matthany wuz here

The picnic was a huge success, if I do say so. We tried to go a little more bare-bones/organic this year, by really just hosting a good old fashioned cookout; no presentations, no formalities, no catering, just a chance to all get together and have fun. And, the weather cooperated! The entire front hallway of Carlson was set up with side dishes, cookies, snacks, and buns to precondimentize, and then outside we had drinks on ice and two grills firing up some hot dogs and hamburgers. We had the volleyball net set up, which (once people had a chance to stuff their bellies) got some heavy use. I also brought ladderball, and speakers connected to my iPod to play streaming XM radio. Throughout the evening we held raffles, giving away t-shirts, sunglasses, water bottles, and plenty other CIS goodies. Oh, and the GRAND PRIZE of two seats at the CIS Alumni Ball tables! Woo hoo! (Which, on a side note - I think this is the first time we have been so far ahead of the game for filling our tables. For some reason, it was really easy this year. SO excited.)

So it seemed the cookout went really well! There were still plenty of folks left over at the end (which made for easy clean up - thank you so so much to those of you who helped). And I haven't heard a single negative complaint. The only thing that I could think of as being a downside was that we did not have tables and chairs outside, so some people chose to stay inside to eat instead. On the other hand, not having tables and chairs made for a much more free flowing group of people, and it was easy to mingle about. So, if we do it this way again next year, I would suggest taking some of the tall tables from the lobby and putting them outside - but without the chairs. That way people would have a surface to place their drink while eating, or their plate while drinking, or whatever - but it wouldn't have the formalities of sitting together at a table. It would have more of a happy hour about it. Also if we do it this way again, we'll have to hope we have as good of weather! In Rochester, you never know...

Oh yeah, and I should point out, we ended up with two overflowing boxes of cans and non-perishable items to donate :-)