Hosts:

• Set the theme:  general potluck, sit-down dinner, buffet, etc. 

• Provide table settings:  paper plates or good china or something in between.

• Tell the coordinators in advance how many guests they can accommodate.  In order for guests to have an opportunity to converse with all of the participants, we have decided to limit these affairs to a maximum of twelve people including hosts. Members are not required to have parties of twelve. if their home can only accommodate six, eight, or ten people that is the number that will be assigned.  Guests will be assigned to host homes by the Coordinators in order to mix things up so that everyone will have the chance to meet and get to know each other.

• Contact the guests about a week before the dinner to ask for an appetizer, side dish or dessert. If hosts need extra chairs or tables, they should feel free to ask guests to bring some. 

• Provide the main dish. If the number of guests is large, the hosts may ask one or more guests to bring a main dish instead of appetizer, side, or dessert.

• Provide soft drinks, water, tea, and coffee.  Guests bring their own alcoholic beverages.

Hosts who have smaller houses have sometimes opted to host a picnic event at Gilchrist Park instead of a meal in their homes. Other options could be working together with another host.

All who participate should take a turn being host which is really a lot of fun because everything always works out in the end and people have a good time. After all, Floridians are a friendly group of people who know how to have fun.

The Food & Friends chairpersons are Diane Lowy, lowy53@comcast.net, 347-8900 and Sharon Long, long1300@comcast.net, 347-8196.