Hi Kim. I ordered the candles from Yankeecandle.com. You are able to customize the scent of the candle, the message label and the price depends on how many you order. We also bought clear votive holders (2 or $1.00!)for the candles from a hobby supply store and will wrap the gift in patriotic ribbon. The food is being catered from one of our local restaurants and we are serving chicken, ribs, corn on the cob, cold salads and in observance of the Lenten season, perch. For desert, we will serve all-american apple pie and brownies which we will purchase from one of the bakeries that supplies our hot lunch program. Glad to help.
Where are you getting the patriotic candle from? Sounds like a great idea you have. What other foods are you having for your catered lunch besides the ribs and who is doing the catering? Thanks!
Our Teacher/Staff Appreciation Luncheon is in March only because we need to do this on an early release day!! Also, the teachers host a PTO appreciation lunch in May! In light of events of the past year, we are doing an american theme with a catered lunch complete with bbq ribs etc. This is costing us about 6-7.00 per person. In addition to the teachers, all staff members including aides, speech and physical therapists, office staff, nurse, custodians, etc. are invited to the lunch. Decorations are simple; red white and blue. We present each member with a gift (5.00 max) and serve them the lunch. This year's gift is a patriotic candle embossed with a thankful message ("thanks for brightening the lives of our kids"). Our attempt is to keep the unity people felt in the aftermath of 9/11 alive while at the same time showing thanks our kids are under the care of a great school staff.
All of these luncheon ideas are FANTASTIC! The baked potato/salad bar is especially appealing...how else could you feed 90 people on such a small amount of money? The taco bar is a great idea, too. Now for the question...who actually bakes the potatoes? Do the PTO members/officers prepare them at home or do you purchase them from a restaurant or prepare them in the school cafeteria? Same question about the beef & mushroom gravy, melted cheese, etc? Also for the taco fixings...
These are especially appealing ideas to me since I found out that our PTO has been spending approx. $400.00 for a luncheon to feed about 60 people...including prepared sandwiches, shrimp & fruit platters, etc. from our local supermarket. I don't know if I'm just "cheap" or if this is a typical amount to spend for a luncheon.
Last year we had our apprecation dinner in May and we invited an Elvis impersonater to the event. The teachers went wild!! We had a polarid camera on hand and took many photos that each teacher could take home with them. The teachers are still talking about that nite! This April we will have an luncheon and have invited an comendian to attend. We hope it is just as succesful! The point being it was not the food the teachers remember it was the entertainment!
