Luncheons and special events

The annual Meet and Greet Pizza Party is held in September often immediately following the September Board meeting. It is organized for new and returning members to socialize, and for new members to feel welcomed. 

The pre-party panel consists of recently retired ASURA members who discuss what they wish they had known before they retired. The last part of the event is used to motivate attendees to join one of the many committees.

It has normally been held in CSB 330 but attendance had gone so large that the last one before the pandemic (2019) was held at Ability 360.

Typical Event Schedule

1. 10:00 to 11:45 am - Board Meeting in CSB 203a
2. 11:00 to 11:45 am – Panel discussion of Things I wish had Known when I retired in CSB 330
3. 11:00 to noon – Set up food in CSB 333
4. 11:45 to noon – Set up room CSB 330
5. Noon to 12:40 pm – enjoy pizza in CSB 330
6. 12:40 to 1:00 pm – Welcome by ASURA President and short presentation by committee chairs present
7. 1:00 to 1:30 – Clean up and return CSB 333 and 330 to classroom configuration

Checklist of Activities

Following are a set of tasks that need to be accomplished.

Early in Summer

1. Meet with the Seminar Chair to make sure they are arranging for the pre-party panel. 
2. Arrange for the venue. If it is held in the Community Services Building (CSB), contact the ASURA Office Coordinator and ask that CSB Rooms 330 & 333 be reserved from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm on the date for the ASURA’s September Board meeting. If CSB is not going to be used pick the venue and get a contact at the venue that the Business Manager can contact to pay.
3. Arrange to have the event posted on Wild Apricot.

One to Two Weeks Before the Event

1. Order the pizza. There are many options. One is Venezia’s Pizzeria located at 27 East Southern Ave. Order pizzas (see menu items below for specifics) and arrange for delivery to room 330 in the ASU Community Services Building at 200 East Curry, Tempe. Delivery should be at 11:45 am; emphasize the importance of not being early (cold pizza is no pizza). Get the name to contact to arrange for payment and give this name to the Business Manager.
2. Purchase Tableware, if necessary. Check with the ASURA Office to see if they have any supplies from previous events. See Party Supplies below for details on what tableware is required.
3. Purchase drinks (see Menu item below for specifics)
4. Purchase desserts (see Menu item below for specifics)
5. Arrange for an event photographer

The Day Before the Event

Purchase ice to cool the drinks

The Day of the Event

1. Bring supplies (see Party Supplies below for specifics), drinks, and deserts to the event room. Note:  the ASURA office has a dolly which can be used to move the heavy items up to the room
2. As soon as possible set up the room. Typically, this consists of:
   
   1. a table & chair at the entrance to allow attendees to fill out a name tag
   2. two to three tables with chairs behind at the front of the room for dispensing the tableware, pizza, and deserts
   3. tables with chairs for up to six for the attendees to eat at
   4. Note:  if the pre-party panel is held in the same room you will need to move the chairs to the other end of the room and then back when the party gets going.
3. Set up Serving Table
   
   1. place desserts on the table just past last pizza box
   2. place ice chests with drinks and ice at the end of the serving tables
   3. place the tableware on the serving tables before the pizza boxes
4. Fifteen minutes before the start of the event receive the pizzas
5. When the event begins open three of the pizza boxes and place on the “serving” table. Replace the empty boxes with fresh pizzas.
6. At the conclusion of the event the room must be cleaned up and returned to the way it was before the event, e.g., tables and chairs in the same configuration.

Within 3 Weeks After the Event

1. Make sure the photographer has transferred the event pictures to person in charge of maintaining the ASURA Photo Gallery
2. Write up an event report and send it to the Events Chair.

Event Menu

1. Pizzas
   
   1. Order enough party size pizzas so the each registered attendee will get 1.5 slices. If you are not sure it is best to order on the high end and not the low end; running out of pizza is not desirable. In 2017 we anticipated 88 attendees and purchased 21 pizzas which was two slices person plus some extra. We ended up with 7 unused pizzas. We over compensated the next year and ran out.
   2. It is your choice on what mix to order. For 12 pies from Venezia's Pizzeria the suggested mix is: 2 Pepperoni only, 2 Sausage only, 2 Pizza Bianco (no extra topping), 3 Venezia’s Supremes, and 3 Park Avenues. 
2. Drinks 
   
   1. Water – 80 sixteen ounce bottles of water; Costco sells flats of 80 for about $7. In 2017 we used about one flat 40 bottles) of 16 ounce water bottles. Check the storeroom before buying.
   2. Ice Tea / Lemonade – 3 to 4 gallons. Fries has a nice low cost presweetened ice tea. In 2017 Arnold Palmer drink was served, bought six gallons and used about 3 gallons for 88 people.
   3. Dessert
      
      Costco has plastic containers of small cakes / cookies, e.g., Brownie Bites, Lemon cakes, Costco Cookies. Bring enough for each person to have 2.

Party Supplies

1. while the pizza comes cut you should bring 1 or 2 pizza cutters and or some knives. In 2017 two pizza cutters were purchased and should be in the supply closet.
2. 3 to 4 serving spatulas – In 2017 three serving spatulas were purchased and should be in the ASURA supply room 
3. tableware: plastic knives, forks, paper plates, napkins, plastic cups. Check with the office to see what is currently in the supply room. 
4. 2 or 3 pitchers to serve the iced tea / lemonade – In 2017 two serving pitchers were purchased and are in the storage room. The pitchers had a side delivery spout which leaded a bit.
5. two ice chests filled with ice. In 2017 40 pounds of ice was purchased the day before to cool the gallons of iced tea and 60 pounds more was purchased on the day of the event. 
6. a large bowl and scoop for the ice – In 2017 two bowls and two scoops were purchased and should be in the ASURA supply closet.

Paying for Everything

1. The pizza is paid buy the Business Manager
2. The incidentals can be handled the same as the pizza or more likely purchased on the chair's credit card and the receipts submitted to the Business Manager who will issue a reimbursement check

1. Typically a fall luncheons are held in October or November while spring luncheon are typically in March or April. The Events Chair helps ensure the dates do not conflict with the Open Enrollment Seminar in October and the Annual Meeting in April.
2. The event includes a speaker or some type of entertainment.
3. A typical set of tasks are:
   1. The committee selects a topic /speaker  of interest or entertainment. The date for the event may depend on the speaker's availability
   2. The committee selects a venue. The chair works out a menu ( generally several choices, one of which is vegetarian) and the cost. The chair also finds someone that can be contacted by the Business Manager to arrange for payment.
   3. The registration price is set(see the Board Policy on Setting event registration fees).
   4. Either create the event on Wild Apricot or ask the Events Committee chair for help (see Event process for information on how to accomplish this task).
   5. Advertise the event via Wild Apricot announcements and ASURA's homepage
   6. Contact the Office Coordinator to arrange for the Office to prepare name tags for those registered (emphasize Large first names)
   7. Arrange for a photographer and someone to check people in at the event

December potluck is held around mid-Dec. 18. It is held in CSB 330. Committee needs to set up, including arranging tables to seat 4-6, chairs to fit, and centerpieces on tables, Set up a beverage and food table, usually along one side of the room, a sign in table by door, with name tags and pens, and a bake sale table [usually at head of room]. ASURA has all needed items in the storage “BOOK” room, reusable plastic table clothes, plastic utensils, plates, cups, extension cords, 2 coolers, table center decorations, etc. Committee makes sure items are available before the event. Members bring hot/cold food. Committee brings ice, and water. Usually around 50-60 attend, cost is free. This is a quite popular, long established, social event; well attended and a little fund raiser as well. Committee is responsible for clean up afterwards, leaving room as it was found.

1. The Holiday Potluck and Bake Sale is held in early to mid December.
2. A typical set of tasks are:
   1. Select a venue. During most of the 2010s the event was held in the Community Services Building, room 330. By 2019 the popularity of the event was too large fore CSB 330 and the event was held in Ability 360. In 2021, the event was moved outdoors to Papago Park Tempe.
   2. By early November either create the event on Wild Apricot or ask the Events Committee chair for help (see Event process for information on how to accomplish this task).
   3. Advertise the event via Wild Apricot announcements and ASURA's homepage.
   4. Check with the Office to see what additional supplies may be needed. ASURA has all needed items in the storage “BOOK” room, reusable plastic table clothes, plastic utensils, plates, cups, extension cords, 2 coolers, table center decorations, etc.
   5. Contact the Office Coordinator to arrange for the Office to prepare name tags for those registered (emphasize Large first names)
   6. Arrange for a photographer and someone to check people in at the event
   7. On event day the set up depends on the venue but likely includes setting up a beverage and food table, usually along one side of the room, a sign in table by door, with name tags and pens, and a bake sale table [usually at head of room].

While the ASURA President is primarily responsible for organizing the Annual Meeting, typically the President asks the Luncheon Committee to arrange for the food, a light lunch sort of thing. Since the meeting has historically been held in the Memorial Union on the Tempe Campus, the Memorial Union does the catering. In more recent times the meeting has been held off campus and an appropriate caterer will have to be located. The one item that has bee served at all Annual Meetings (that were in-person) is a carrot cake birthday cake.

This committee can also plan special events as they wish. In past years there have been fashion shows, working with local dept. stores such as Dillards, with members being models, both male and female. A wine tasting and luncheon event was also very popular. 

Possible Venues

Shalimar Country Club

1. Address:  2032 E. Golf Ave   Tempe 85282
2. Phone:  480-831-1244
   
   Seats up to 81, will serve buffet or sit down [same price], has podium, mike, overhead projector ?, suggests speaker bring own laptop
3. Food includes water, coffee, tea, maybe lemonade. White tablecloths.  Food cost appx $15-18pp with dessert, depending on chosen entrée.

Tempe History Museum

1. Address:  809 East Southern Ave   Tempe  85282
2. Phone:  480-350-5111     fax:  480-350-5150
3. Minimal charge for venue, has list of caterers from which to choose.

Friendship Village

1. Address:  2645 E. Southern Ave/Tempe 85282
2. Phone:  480-831-0880
   
   Minimal charge for venue, food—parking difficult

Ability 360

1. Address:  5031 E. Washington St Phoenix 85034
2. Phone:  602-386-4566
3. Website:  https://ability360.org/sports

Papago Golf Club (replaces Karsten Golf Club)

1. Address: 5595 E Karsten Wy, Phoenix, AZ 85008
2. Phone: (602) 275-8428
3. Website

Sept. 2015    Meet and Greet Pizza Party

80 registered, 40 attended. Cost=$417 / $360 budgets, Lost about $57 on this event, due to number of no-shows.

Nov.  2015    Fall Luncheon, Shalimar Golf Resort

54 attended, Mike Chamberlin [local television news personality, now retired] performed songs from WWII in honor of Veteran’s Day, Christmas songs, and old favorites along with his ever interesting stories. His CDs were offered for sale. There was a small profit of $34.00 for the association.

Dec. 2015     Holiday Potluck

CSB 330, 43 attended the annual Holiday Event Guests brought holiday food and treats. The annual bake sale netted $164.06 for the association.

Feb. 2016    Spring Luncheon

ASU Karsten Golf Course, 63 people attended, Dr. Randy Cerveny, President's Professor of Geographical Sciences, spoke on world weather extremes.  Talk Tittle: "Who decides the Hottest and Coldest?"  Dr. Cerveny is the United Nations/World Meteorological Organization's Rapporteur of Weather and Climate Extremes [He verifies world weather extremes]. Profit=$102. Sept. 2015  

 Apr. 2016    Annual Meeting

ASU MU  Refreshments: Light luncheon was offered, budget=$600. Actual cost =$452.  A light luncheon seems to bring in more members than refreshments.

Sept. 2016    Meet and Greet Pizza Party

71 registered 69 attended. This year ordered pizza for 50 [due to previous year no-shows, ran out of pizza.] could have ordered 2 more pies.  Budgeted cost to Association - $191

Oct. 2016    Fall Luncheon

ASU Karsten Golf Course,52 attended.  Pat McMahon, [local TV celeb, originally ‘The Wallace and Ladmo show’].  Association profit=$86

Dec. 2016    Holiday Potluck

CSB 330, 45 in attendance, bake sale=$163

Apr. 2017    Spring luncheon

Shalimar Golf Resort-anticipated to be on Wednesday, April 26.  Our speaker will be Marshall Trimble, AZ Official State Historian.