3/325
Regular Member
imported post
Although I've been on this board for a while, I had the pleasure of attending my first OC gathering last Sunday (7/13). Make no mistake, I definitely had a very good time and enjoyed meeting those of you who also attended. There is something I wanted to mention as a first-time attendee that may or may not be useful to others at future gatherings.
Have a Greeter/Welcomer/Point-of-Contact for those who arrive.
As I walked up to the gathering at Long Lake I was, at first, greeted with blank stares and silence. From their point of view, they saw one guy walking toward the picnic. But from MY point of view, I saw a dozen people staring at me without a single smile. This is an intimidating experience, even for those who have a lot of self-confidence. With bags of groceries in hand, I had trouble finding out A) where to put the food, and B) who was "in charge". Nobody was really sure and no one could point to a person and say "he/she is the coordinator".
It may seem silly to assign someone as a "host" or "supervisor" at such an informal event, but I can assure you it is necessary. We don't all know each other (yet) and it's a little unnerving to have a high school flashback to when you were the new kid and no one wanted to acknowledge you (yes, that was me). One of the other guests wanted to make a monetary contribution to our cause and had some trouble getting a clear answer on how best to help out ("funding pamphlets" was the eventual answer).
Please, if you're arranging one of these meetings, find a volunteer who will act as a point of contact for people who are arriving. The job may involve nothing more than a handshake, introduction, and "thanks for coming; help yourself to a cheeseburger," but it will make a big difference. Especially if our group is approached by someone who isn't a part of the OC community. When people have questions, the first thing they are going to do is look for the person who appears to be "in charge". Questions can always be redirected to the nearest expert or spokesman, but the curious need a place to start before we can successfully educate them.
Remember, we aren't just doing these gatherings for our own entertainment, we want to put a friendly, welcoming face on the entire OC community.
Thanks for hearing me out, and I really look forward to being at the next get-together in my neck of the woods! (Hell, I'll even volunteer to be the WalMart Greeter for it).
Although I've been on this board for a while, I had the pleasure of attending my first OC gathering last Sunday (7/13). Make no mistake, I definitely had a very good time and enjoyed meeting those of you who also attended. There is something I wanted to mention as a first-time attendee that may or may not be useful to others at future gatherings.
Have a Greeter/Welcomer/Point-of-Contact for those who arrive.
As I walked up to the gathering at Long Lake I was, at first, greeted with blank stares and silence. From their point of view, they saw one guy walking toward the picnic. But from MY point of view, I saw a dozen people staring at me without a single smile. This is an intimidating experience, even for those who have a lot of self-confidence. With bags of groceries in hand, I had trouble finding out A) where to put the food, and B) who was "in charge". Nobody was really sure and no one could point to a person and say "he/she is the coordinator".
It may seem silly to assign someone as a "host" or "supervisor" at such an informal event, but I can assure you it is necessary. We don't all know each other (yet) and it's a little unnerving to have a high school flashback to when you were the new kid and no one wanted to acknowledge you (yes, that was me). One of the other guests wanted to make a monetary contribution to our cause and had some trouble getting a clear answer on how best to help out ("funding pamphlets" was the eventual answer).
Please, if you're arranging one of these meetings, find a volunteer who will act as a point of contact for people who are arriving. The job may involve nothing more than a handshake, introduction, and "thanks for coming; help yourself to a cheeseburger," but it will make a big difference. Especially if our group is approached by someone who isn't a part of the OC community. When people have questions, the first thing they are going to do is look for the person who appears to be "in charge". Questions can always be redirected to the nearest expert or spokesman, but the curious need a place to start before we can successfully educate them.
Remember, we aren't just doing these gatherings for our own entertainment, we want to put a friendly, welcoming face on the entire OC community.
Thanks for hearing me out, and I really look forward to being at the next get-together in my neck of the woods! (Hell, I'll even volunteer to be the WalMart Greeter for it).
