This is a recipe for a party to have every year if you want to keep a diverse group of people together for the long haul. The reason I know about it is that my Leadership Knoxville class, the Class of ’93, has been doing it for the past 17 years and we are a more cohesive group than almost any other class from that long ago.
The key to the success of this party is that it is easy and it involves everyone. It’s a version of a potluck, but the dishes are limited to these: soups, salads, desserts, bread and, if you want, appetizers. We try to have our party at about the same time every year — in the fall near Halloween. It’s gotten to be such a tradition, that when the weather starts to cool off, we just naturally start asking when the class party will be.
Here’s how you do it. Get someone to volunteer to be the host. This year for our class party, it was Cile and Ed Mathews. Cile was the head of the Florence Crittenton Agency when she was in Leadership Knoxville. Ed, her husband, in addition to being a Realtor, was head of the East Tennessee Georgia Bulldog Club, of which I was a member. (Go Dawgs!)
Get someone to coordinate the whole thing. This year, it was me, the newly elected class representative for the Class of ’93. My job was to be sure people brought a variety of dishes and there weren’t too many duplications. We ended up with four soups, three salads, bread, and three desserts. The Mathewses provided light appetizers. (We learned a few years ago that it is a mistake to have too many appetizers because folks tend to fill up on them — and then they aren’t hungry for the main event.)
We decided that everyone would bring either beer or wine and the hosts would provide soft drinks. Our party was a great success. We had good attendance. We started at 6 and ended at 9 and everyone had a good time. We’ve already lined up a host couple for next year. And so the tradition continues.
And then it’s time to serve it all up!
Anybody else got ideas for keeping a group together for years?
Monique is a member of the 2000 class with me. We’ve had similar gatherings, and I agree that they’re a great way to keep up with everyone.
Great review of a terrific party and a wonderful group of people. To our class members who missed, we’ll see you next year!
Hated that some of the class of 2000 folks were at the LK ’93 party!! We had a wonderful party with our classmates and spouses…missed those you who weren’t there!
Nancy – I don’t think they competed, did they? Ours was Nov. 7.
Thanks for that. We’re having a big potluck party next week, for Xmas I guess and I’ve been trying to find something unique.. found some awesome ideas at this potluck recipe site. You know, someone should invent a website where you can write what you’ll be taking, and it would make sure no one is bringing the same thing!
Update: Just for the record, the Leadership Knoxville Class of 2000 party, of which Alan is a member, had its party on Nov. 14. We actually coordinated with them so we didn’t compete. So I don’t see a problem with folks from the class of 2000 coming to the party of the class of ’93. In fact, our two classes are very close because we have several married couples with spouses in each of those classes. Alan couldn’t go to the class of 2000 party because we had out of town company — not because he was attending the class of ’93 party. Just saying.
Hated to miss this annual event! We were hosting another group — our First United Methodist Sunday School class — the JOY Class! And that’s a whole ‘nother blog, for sure! Been together for more than 30 years!!!
Oh, Rusha, that’s awesome! Same kind of get together? Potluck dinner?
We are very disappointed that we were not with you guys this year. We did not have those global responses and I kinda forgot. Would love to have brought everyone up to date on my company. We did go to Kelly’s Installation in Nashville this past weekend. He is the new Pastor at First Baptist Capitol Hill. Very exciting and emotional weekend for all of us.
Cynthia this would have been a great post. Kelly was emotionally overywhelmed taking over the pastorship of his father’s church.
Gwen: Would love to have seen our classmate Kelly Miller Smith being installed as pastor of his father’s church. His dad is a legend – but I’m confident Kelly is up to filling those big shoes. We missed you at the party!!
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