CHRISTMAS POTLUCK & ORNAMENT CONTEST – 2017
BALBOA PARK
Review by Anne Schafer, roving reporter
Photographed by Jim Parrish
Garry Cannon and Doug Peeler enjoying the festivities.
Just a few of the many donated door prizes given away.
Jennifer Stapp keeps track of the auction bidding.
Sally Parrish, Letty Evans, and Anne Schafer count the proceeds from silient auction.
While Christmas Potluck Chairlady Rocio Bergum, her husband Alan, and helper John Kruzel loaded up supplies at the SDMGBuilding on Monday afternoon, December 18th, Anne Schafer had already sneaked into Room 101 of Casa del Prado and spent an hour setting up a bunch more tables and chairs that the janitors "forgot." Just about the time she got done, shortly after 4:00pm, all sorts of elves arrived at Casa del Prado with carts and boxes loaded with food and decorations, and the fun began!
Rocio Bergum on the left, organizing the food table before the mad rush.
Debra Clough, Jill Williamson and a host of folks taped down tablecloths, then sprinkled garland, pinecones, and candy canes down the center of each table. Jennifer Stapp, Dee Smith and crew set out the Silent Auction goodies, while Gladys Walker unpacked the door prizes and arranged them artistically. Andy Anderson kindly set up the coffee and punch station (and kept it stocked), while Rocio directed placement of food items on the five tables in the buffet line. Elbert "Mac" McCune was host, welcoming everyone, encouraging them to sign in and write out a name badge for themselves. As the crowds gathered and mingled, fourteen more private sellers added their items to the waiting Silent Auction area, almost filling the nine tables provided.
After finding seats and greeting friends, the food line formed up quickly at 6:00pm. There was plenty of great food to feed the 104 attendees all they wanted: ham, turkey, cranberries, gravy, potatoes, rice dishes, lasagna, pasta salad, green salad, orange jello, fruit bowls, pot stickers (yum!), spicy meatballs, sliced pomellos, pies, tarts, brownies, handmade candies and too much more to either mention or eat!
Some of the 100+ people enjoying the potluck feast.
Rocio Bergum and Lee Bennett cooked turkeys, while Jim and Sally Parrish (and one or two others whose names I didn't get) supplied lots and lots of tasty ham. Simon King entertained everyone during the door prize drawing, while Sally Parrish, Angie Cannon and Anne Schafer collected monies at the end of the Silent Auction. (Credit must go to Letty Evans who always does the alphabetical sorting of bid sheets.)
Sharon Griswold had encouraged lots of folks to enter their works in the Christmas Ornament Contest, with Lucky #13 being this year's winner – Angela Cannon took First Place again!
Thanks go to the hardworking clean-up crew did an excellent and efficient job at the end of the evening. Chairlady Rocio truly deserves a round of applause for pulling together another great Christmas Potluck, and we hope that she will continue for another year. Bravo!
The date of the 2018 Christmas Potluck date has been set: Monday, December 17th. See you then!