A “Founders Day Celebration” is a great way to get to know our neighbors, and increase the sense of belonging in a community, and it would be fun!
It’s crazy … how many new neighbors that have moved here in the past couple years, so many we have not met.
Many neighborhoods are skipping National Night Out & choosing a fun neighborhood event on a Saturday instead.
Please consider this detailed idea for our first Founders Day Celebration in Oak Hollow Park.
Somehow, I am trying to figure out how to include all neighbors in the neighborhood that would be interested in a Founders Day event.
Imagine, on a fall Saturday day, around 10am, a Party Rental Company delivers 34 (8 ft) folding tables and 200 folding chairs. A few volunteers sets up the tables & chairs to comfortably sit at least 200 neighbors. The cost with Steven Gonzalez, to deliver & pick up would be less than $700. His # is (210) 864-8919, call or text.
How to pay for it …
Sell “Raffle Tickets” for $5 each, It’s easier to get donations when there is a chance to win something. Raffle off gifts on event day.
All board members & street reps can handle raffle tickets sales.
Raffle tickets could be sold when the food trucks arrive, maybe?
We want to get a few Gifts or Gift Certificates, for our raffle drawing.
Raffle gifts: Neighbors, please for those that can, ask the company you work for to donate a gift or service.
Hopefully business owners that reside in Oak Hollow Park will donate a gift or a service.
Maybe ask local businesses to donate a gift or service, such as HEB, CVS, Walmart, ACE Hardware, Florists, Beauty Salons, and other local businesses near our neighborhood to donate gifts or services.5
Make this event – a Potluck event: Will save money!
Potluck for Lunch
A “potluck lunch” is an event in which neighbors come together to eat together, visit & talk. Each individual or household brings a dish to share. A potluck lunch is also economical. One can simply make a dish to share, then go to an event, and there is whole buffet of interesting, delicious food available. It is less expensive than going out to eat. And more interesting. Plus, it takes less time to prepare one dish compared to preparing many dishes. If you attend a potluck lunch that is attended by a 100 households, then that means there are 100 different items on the menu that you will be able to eat. But you only spend time preparing one item.
What are the benefits of a neighborhood pot luck lunch?
The main purpose is to have fun. We recognize that a potluck lunch can serve many positive purposes. These events can help strengthen a neighborhood. These events provide an opportunity for neighbors to meet and get to know each other better. The more neighbors that actually know each other, the stronger a neighborhood becomes. This contributes to neighborhood safety, and other aspects of well-being within the neighborhood.
Note: Only neighbors that bring food dishes will attend.
Most importantly, a potluck is about spending time with those around you, sharing a meal, having an excuse to reconnect or get to know someone better, and most of all: building a sense of community.
Location of event: The cul-de-sac on Pebble Den is the best location in our neighborhood. Fortunately, on Pebble Den, many homes have large Oak Trees providing shade to at least one side of the street, where tables and chairs can be set up. Of course volunteers are needed to set up the rental tables & chairs along the street in the shade if possible.
Another option: If we can find a large shaded area at McAllister Park, but I am concerned about having enough parking for all our neighbors.
Back to Pebble Den – Neighbors that have popup canopies can be set up in the yards with owner permission of course. Neighbors can bring their own folding chairs and sit around the shade areas.
Time to eat: Neighbors can bring Potluck dishes around 11am, and by Noon sit & eat.
* Upon arrival, there should be a table with blank name tags & pens, so guests can create their own name tag.
At 1:30pm, uneaten food can be removed by family that brought them.
During Noon Lunch: The Raffle takes place
From 11am to 1pm: We will hand out Mingo Bingo cards for neighbors to get to know other neighbors:
Also, we can set out “Cornhole Game Boards with bean bags, for neighbors to play, maybe even a contest.
Also we already do have a “Selfie” photo booth, if anyone is interested.
Conclusion: would need to create a Potluck sign up sheet & monitor it to avoid too much duplication. We need blank name tags & raffle tickets.
Time to start preparation 10am
End time to stack Tables & Chairs – 2pm
The answer sheet for the Mingo Bingo game would be needed with the card.
Any extra money from Raffle Ticket sales would going our OHPNA bank account.
Every guest brings a favorite dish and hopefully some will volunteer for setting up & breaking down the tables & chairs.
This is a suggestion to consider…
