Picnic Planning
How do I do a picnic?
- Picnics may be planned for residence hall groups with 10 or more individuals in attendance.
- A minimum of two weeks prior to the picnic, meet with a dietitian/manager in your dining center. You should be prepared to discuss the approximate number of individuals attending and a picnic menu (see next page). A two week time frame insures sufficient time to order food and drink for your picnic and timely communication with Pittman Building. (Note to Dining Services: Fax special function sheet to Cyndi Slover).
- You can stop in or call Kramer (785-532-6482), Derby (785-532-6483), or Van Zile (785-532-6484) to arrange a time.
- Two weeks in advance of the picnic, visit with a senior staff member (Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator) in your hall to arrange for a computer-generated sign-up roster that includes first and last names and social security numbers of students eligible to attend. A printed roster with names and social security numbers must be turned in to Dining Services for confirming picnic attendance and for removing the picnic meal from the resident’s meal account. A separate roster with social security numbers removed should be used at the picnic to record those in attendance and to restrict unauthorized participation. Laws restrict access to social security numbers.
- Advertise your picnic and encourage residents to sign up in your hall. Student groups may sign up in a variety of ways but the computer generated roster with names and social security numbers is required to be turned into the dining center.
- Coordinate with your senior staff to deliver or fax the computer-generated roster (first name, last name, and social security number) of picnic attendees to the dietitian/manager in your dining center by 10 a.m. on the Thursday prior to a weekend picnic. For picnics executed Monday through Friday, the roster should be delivered or faxed to Dining Services 72 hours in advance of the schedule picnic time.
- Dining Services will use the roster to communicate the names of residents who will have their meal accounts debited for the picnic meal. (Note to Dining Services: The roster must be received at Pittman no later than 9:30 a.m. on the Friday prior to weekend picnics or 48 hours in advance of weekday picnics.)
What about last-minute picnics?
We regret that food, supplies or grills may not be available for picnics planned less than two weeks in advance.
Oh, no! It's raining!
Your group will want to plan what to do if the weather does not cooperate. Sheltered picnic areas are available in Manhattan and at Tuttle Creek Lake. Dining Services will be able to cancel your picnic due to bad weather without charge if a minimum of six-hour's notice prior to pick-up is given.
What's the cost?
Picnics planned for residents in place of a regularly-scheduled meal are at no charge – unless additional food is requested or the picnic is canceled less than six hours prior to pick-up. Residents on 10- or 15-meal plans, who have used all their meals, and guests may attend for the dining center lunch guest price. Arrange for guest registration and payment with the dining center secretary sometime during the sign-up period.
Oops! Your next door neighbor signed up, but won't be attending...
If the picnic rosters have not been turned in, he or she can "unsign up". Unfortunately, if the deadline has passed, your neighbor will be unable to eat in the dining center. Once the rosters are submitted, IDs are coded on the computer system to "meal eaten" status and food and supplies are prepared.
You will want to explain this situation to your fellow residents. Your picnic cost is so reasonable (free!) because residents are only able to eat in one place.
How do we get everything to the picnic spot?
Sorry...this bargain picnic package does not include delivery. You will want to arrange with Dining Services for a pick-up time.
Single-floor picnics will typically require the use of one pick-up or two cars. The grills are 55-gallon barrels cut in half, and will fill the trunk of a small car.
What's included in the picnic?
- pre-cooked hamburgers and hot dogs with buns (2 hamburgers, or 2 hot dogs, or 1 of each per person; veggie burgers are available upon request)
- vegetable relishes
- baked beans
- chips
- 1 piece of fruit or 1 pound of watermelon (in season) per person
- 2 cookies or 1 brownie per person
- catsup, mustard, pickles and pickle relish
- iced tea or lemonade (pop available for an additional charge)
- paper plates, napkins, cups, plastic utensils and plastic trash bags
- grill and screen
- charcoal
- salt and pepper
- plastic gloves (to be worn when handling all ready-to-eat food products)
The amount of food is based on the number of people signed up on the picnic sign-up roster (provided to Dining Services and Pittman personnel), and cash guests (arranged for in the dining center office).
The party's over!
Beverage containers (aervoids and coolers), cooking utensils and serving utensils will be loaned to you. These items must be returned to the dining center within 24 hours of pick-up time unless prior arrangements are made. Returned items are to be checked in by a dining center supervisor or dietitian/manager. Replacement costs of these items will be billed to you if not returned in good condition. Aervoids are especially expensive, and should be handled with care! No food may be returned to the dining center. You will want to be sure that those who sign up for the picnic do plan to attend to avoid wasted food. ID cards of students who sign up for the picnic meal will be invalid for the dining center meal that is being replaced by the picnic.