General Etiquette > All In A Day's Work

Please help - potluck work issue

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Cebollita:
OUr non-profit is coming up to our 10th anniversary.  My boss suggested a gathering of all current and previous volunteers to celebrate the milestone. However, he suggested a potluck. I was horrified  - here's why: if  you are inviting someone to an event, shouldn't you be *providing* hospitality? Particularly to the people who were previous years' volunteers and interns?

I told her my concerns and she shrugged them off - she said, "I've been to many potlucks and not been offended". I think it looks cheap, and if we really want to thank and celebrate with previous volunteers and interns, WE should provide some basic hospitality, even if that's just wine and cheese or something simple.

Can any of you help me convey this to her? I fear there will be a VERY small turnout if I am forced to do this. Moreover, *I* am being forced to be one of the organizers. I do NOT want to organize a social event - I am a teacher/educator. i do my job very well, but I hate organizing parties - and I find this whole thing awkward.  It's ok (just personally not my favorite thing) if we have to organize this party, in conjunction with our other events, but asking the invitees to provide the refreshments is just not appropriate in my opinion.

Any thoughts or help gratefully received. if you agree with me - how can I convince my boss not to do this potluck? If you don't agree, how can I get my head around this?

Thank you!

Jocelyn:
I've never heard of a potluck that wasn't among the members of a group- a church, a club, a workplace. It works because everyone has a commitment to the group, and in bearing their share of the costs (time and money).It sounds like your boss wants to include not only the current members of a group, but past members. People who formerly volunteered but are not doing so currently have already had a separation in their commitment to the organization.
Also, a potluck requires everyone to be there at the same time. Do you have space and chairs for that? Inviting people to stand and hold their dinner isn't very hospitable. If you're thinking about hosting a come-and-go reception, your buffet could go dry, or it could be a bit odd if the desserts show up before the entrees.
Thinking about what I'd do if a non-profit I worked for was celebrating an anniversary: I'd like a come-and-go reception, where I could slide out if no one I knew were there, or stay and visit if there were folks I knew. It would be really awkward to have to sit and eat dinner with strangers, and I'd feel especially awkward about leaving 'too soon'. I'd be the most likely to attend an open house that ran 5-7, so I could stop in on the way home from work, and have some appetizers or punch and cake. It would be a huge hassle to have to go home,  warm up the dish I'd made the night before, and go back out again to a dinner reception.

As for how to convey this to your boss: can you ask her if you could do a test survey with the current staff/volunteers, to see what sort of reception they would prefer?

Only me:
Hi

I work for a very large company and actually am in charge of the not for profit my area. (think of an area about half the size South Carolina). When we say thanks to our volunteers we provide the food.

I would find a pot luck tacky, unless it was just my staff on the current committee and there are only 4 of us.

Onlyme

Bluenomi:
So your boss wants you to invite people who have volunteered their time to your oganisation to an event celebrating their work and wants them to provide the catering? There is no way you can make that anything but rude. These people should be thanked, not used as a food source!

yokozbornak:
If she insists on a potluck, could you call it a 10 year reunion instead of a celebration?  I could see showing up with a dish if it was going to be big reunion/gathering of all the former employees, interns, and volunteers.  I would not, however, be so inclined to attend a "celebration" when I have to provide own refreshments.  That's just tacky.

If she insists on doing  the celebration, then push for an open house or even a small ceremony with a speaker and serve cake, punch, and a few finger foods afterward.  Have a slide show running of the organization throughout the years with the pictures of employees, volunteers, and interns prominently displayed.  I would also offer a small thank-you gift to everyone who attends (something inexpensive like a keychain with the organizations logo) in a cute box.

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