In the Backcountry

Our YM/YW combined activity for the month of December was initially going to be an Etiquette Dinner - but the young men really wanted to have an activity with Dance Instruction.  Really.  So, when we were asked to incorporate it into our activity how could we say no?  :)  This is how we are planning on having it all come together.

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Purpose

1.       FRIENDSHIPS:  Opportunity to Strengthen Friendships.

2.       LIFE SKILLS:  Offer tools (booklet) to learn Basic Etiquette.

3.       CULTURAL ARTS:  Hands on Dance Instruction.

Arrival

·         Pine cone Seating Assignments:   choose a numbered cone then find corresponding seat

o   start seating with tables 1-6, leaving tables 7-10 last to be filled

o   3 young men and 3 young women at each table – boy/girl/boy/girl/boy/girl

Program

·         Welcome:  

·         Opening Prayer and Blessing on the Food:  by invitation

·         Dinner:   Soup Bowls served by YM/YW Leaders

                      (salad, dessert, and water on table upon arrival)

·         Etiquette Instruction: 

·         Take-A-Way:  Etiquette Booklet *

·         Dance Instruction:  (Ballroom)

·         Last Dance:  all Young Men and Young Women

·         Closing Prayer:  by invitation

Assignments

INVITATIONS 

o   print, cut, and glue onto card stock (or simply print directly onto card stock)

o   Hand-Out:  Sunday, December  11

FOOD  

o   Green Salad (2x dressings:  ranch and vinaigrette)

o   Bread Bowls

o   Creamy Rice Soup (Lisa Roubicek’s recipe) and/or Chili

o   Triple Chocolate Cake - with red berry accents

o   Ice Water

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THANK YOU 

For our dance instructors, as well as anyone else involved in helping make the night a success, we were thinking of giving them each a bag of Backcountry Twigs (a Treehugger Company specialty) to say "Thank You".  Caramel covered pretzel rods, dipped in milk chocolate, then drizzled in white chocolate - bundled together in a clear cello bag tied with jute and tag (below).

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DECORATIONS

A winter scene:  (as our dance floor backdrop) leafless trees, a couple pine, river rocks, and even a few bunches of tall river birch - the base of the scene wrapped loosely in white tulle (snow).  Maybe even a few white lights strategically placed in the tulle.  (Girls, does this sound familiar?)  :)

Centerpieces: designed using a combination of twigs, pine cones, cranberries, battery operated tea lights.

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SET-UP – see diagram

o   dance floor taped out with FrogTape (because it is green)  :)

o   10 round tables (at least)

o   6 chairs at each table

o   10 round white table cloths (at least)

o   Centerpiece on each table

o   Table numbers placed on each table – see diagram 

o   6 Place Settings at each table

o   plate

o    dinnerware (salad fork, knife, soup spoon, dessert fork)

o    cup

o    napkin – cranberry

o   Etiquette Booklet at each place setting

o   4 spot lights -to shine up into trees

o   20 strands of white lights - to be hung from ceiling hooks – see diagram  
      (will need tall ladder)

o   extension cords

o   sound system (iPod, speakers)

o   15 minutes before arrival set out:

o   pitcher of ice water on each table

o   salad dressing x2 on each table – with spoons

o   fill cups with ice water

o   green salad at each place setting

o   dessert at each place setting

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* Etiquette Booklet to come.   And pictures!