Wednesday, March 7, 2012

How to Run a Community Cookout.

WHAT IS IT:
Community Cookouts are a great way to get to know members of the community, Our aim is to create a opportunity for people to come together and share a meal and get to know each other.

Target demographic: Flint residents and surrounding areas, business owners, students and anyone else.

The best place we have found to have cookouts is behind the riverfront dorms, in the Riverfront park downtown Flint. It is a very central spot.

Costs: On average it costs 200 to 300 per cookout.

How Many to Plan For: Anywhere from 100 to 250

Staple Supplies Needed: 225 burger paddies, 225 hot dogs, Burger and hot dog buns, 250 plates, 250 cups, napkins, Utensils, 2 gallons of water, 8 to 10 gallons of pop/juice (4 or 5 choices) ketchup, mustard, relish, ice for the summer.

SUGGESTIONS:
Keep it simple. Partnership is the way to make this possible.

Keep the math simple. Keeping prices low and manageable is best. Be sure to purchase hot dogs, buns and chips at GFS or Sam’s Club or a wholesale company -- buying in bulk saves money.

Let people know about your cookout ahead of time. Post signs in your church and give people hand outs. You could advertise on your web site or in a newsletter.

Realize that it will take work. It takes a coordinated effort to make cookouts happen. Recruit people before, during and after. Before the cookouts there is a lot of prep of getting food organized and packed to go. During the cookouts there is set up and making sure that things go smoothly and correctly. Have a few people on standby for crowd control if needed.

Things to do the Week of the Cookout
Pray, partnership with God is most important

Contact other churches, groups and organizations.

Give cookout fliers to members.

Check and double check on food supplies for the cookout. Get as many people to cook as possible.

Purchase any necessary items.

Things to do the Day before the Cookout:

Put anything that needs to be refrigerated in the refrigerator.

Unthaw any frozen meat or buns.

Contact any help that you will need the day of.

Things to do the Day of the Cookout

Morning

10:30
Start cooking any frozen food (usually takes 60 to 90 minutes).

Arrange to have people assist you with bringing supplies to location.
Load truck with tables, grill and food.

Afternoon
12:30

Unload all the materials. Short term parking is available on Beach St for unloading.

Set up tables, start grill, arrange food on table, plug in water heater if needed. Grab trash cans near the area.
Parking is available on Lyon Street.

2 or more people walk to warming center during the cold months and announce to anyone staying there.
Enjoy a meal and great conversation.

You do not have to stay until 4. Cook until you are out of food or out of people to eat the food. Pack up and clean up the area. Leave it better than how you found it.

After the cookout.

Make sure all trash is collected and taken to dumpsters. We want to make sure that we leave the area better then what we found it. There should be no indication that we were there afterwards.

Unload supplies. Clean tables, clean grill, clean utensils, Store food that can be frozen in the freezer.
Send out updates on how the cookout went. Post pictures, write blogs, contact churches.


Please visit our website www.Flintcookout.com for more info on what we've been doing and how you can get involved.
If you would like to ensure that this ministry continues and would like to support it.

Feel free to visit http://goodjustice.com/shop.php to donate. When you fill out your information you will see "Add special instructions to the seller" there you can type in "Community Cookouts.” All donations it will go directly to support and further this ministry.

Patrick Bradway.

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