reportonwoodhavenvisit
Report on Woodhaven Visit
From: David E McConnell
To: Members of the Reunion Planning Committee
Sent: Tue, 18 Nov 2008
Subject: Report to Reunion Planning Committee on Visit to Woodhaven Country Club
Hi Fellow Planners,
Richard and I went to Woodhaven Country Club today and talked with the Club Manager who is filling in for the person I previously made our agreements and reservations with (and who is no longer with Woodhaven). He was very cordial and granted us more than expected.
Good news: We now have no required minimum expenditure at all. It was waived by the club manager. In my mind this removes any concern we had regarding having enough attendees to meet the minimum $2,000.00. We may still wish to reach out in some manner to our classmates to determine who expects to participate, but with less urgency than before when we had a minimum expenditure to meet. We no longer have that requirement.
Regarding the time for serving dinner: 7:15 is fine. We simply need to let them know when we give them our final attendance count about 7 days prior to the event.
Regarding drinks: the no host bar will have available soft drinks and alcoholic drinks for sale per person. There will be water, tea and coffee available as part of our food service without extra charge.
Regarding dressing for salads: They normally make available two different dressings, but the manager agreed to provide us with three selections. We indicated we would like Ranch, Thousand Island, and Italian dressings, but we could change that (or any of the food selections up until 7 days prior to the event).
Regarding desserts: The manager will allow us to have half of our desserts of one choice and half of another choice or 1/3 each of three different choices. He would probably even allow us 1/4 each of four different choices, but we didn't ask about that. The manager mentioned that we would need to specify the topping for the cheese cake. He mentioned that strawberry tended to be the most popular.
Regarding room arrangement: A scan of the Boaz room diagram has been inserted on the last page of this report. Please print that page and consider it as I describe the room. To follow my description in words you should mentally place yourself on the dance floor looking toward the pointed side of the room.
The Boaz room is about 50 feet by 60 feet (estimated by counting number of steps while walking across the floor). The room to the left that is labeled VIP room is where the registration would likely be setup and where we could position various memorabilia for display. The club would set up whatever tables we require in that room. The VIP room is about 25 feet by 20 feet. As you can see from some pictures that I've posted on our web site, the door way between the VIP room and the Boaz room is actually a set of folding doors that may be opened or not as we wish. Opening all of them would make the room quite accessible from the Boaz room. A possible location for the Handley banner that Clayton and Jane are providing might be on the wall just to the left of the speaker podium. It could possibly be placed over the fireplace, but I'd think it would remain much more visible to the left of the podium and would be a good center of focus there.
The projection screen is the usual size for a projection screen that sits on a tripod, more than large enough for our needs, I think. Where the best place would be to place a projector depends largely upon the focal length and zoom capability of the projector. We would simply need to set up a table at the appropriate location. All dining tables are round capable of seating 8, but I think having them set for 6 or 7 would be better. Having 8 at a table might be tight. The room today was set up for 7 individuals at each table. At least a third of the tables should, I think, be set up for 7. If needed, some last minute rearranging could be done without too much of a problem, say, to move a place setting from one table to another if an odd table needed an even setting or vice versa. Setting my Bose music system on one side or the other of the fire place might be a good location or perhaps some other place . It's not a critical issue in my mind. We would need a table for it, but that's not a problem.
The diagram shows the probably location of the speaker's podium and screen. There is a spot light that shines on that part of the room. However, the podium and screen could be placed elsewhere in the room if we wished to do so. The club will provide such extension cords as we require. The room behind the dance floor (and fire place--the dance floor is directly in front of the fire place) is where the food serving line would be set up. The line would enter the serving room from the left of the dance floor and re-enter the Boaz room through the doors to the right of the dance floor (as you stand on the dance floor looking out).
The Boaz room is quite large and could easily accommodate 12 to 15 tables, many more than we would need. The table setup could be however we wish it to be set up with as many chairs at each table as we wish. It would probably be best to have some with an even number of chairs an d some with an odd number of chairs to make it inviting for both couples and non-couples. The microphone that is provided is wireless and the speakers are arranged uniformly through the room in the ceiling. The small table shown on the diagram to the right of the dance floor was not there today when Richard and I visited. It is available and could be placed wherever we wish to place it.
Regarding table decorations: each table will have a white table cloth and white cloth napkins. The napkins could be displayed various ways: folded appropriately and inserted in the glassware, folded appropriately and placed in the plates, or some other way as we prefer. Each table will have a small glass mirror (about 12 inches by 12 inches) on which a small glass candle holder and candle is placed. We may add any other decorations we desire to the table service (e.g., flowers, ribbons, purple and white decorations of our choosing, and so forth).
Regarding bringing in food: the manager has no problem with us bringing in small inconsequential things such as small packets of candies, nuts and the like to place at each table or each table setting. I suspect we could get away with bringing other munchies if we didn't make a big deal about it, but just set bowls of whatever at discretely chosen locations here and there.
Please email me if you think I failed to address something that you think is important. Kaye, hopefully, you will be able to use this information to add to the minutes as you think appropriate.
Sketch of the Boaz Ballroom Floor Plan
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