Pros: Creates a social opportunity for the club members to meet, mingle, and perhaps chat with people that they wouldn't sit with otherwise. Pprovides a welcome environment for newcomers.

Cons: Cost makes event price a bit higher than some might choose to spend dining out. Food typically not as good as restaurant food. Big crowds not everyone's cup of tea.

Alternatives: Casual BBQ hosted by volunteers (e.g. big grill, tons of sausages & peppers, beer, sodas). Or Mini-caterred event (GVC has casual food and beer in the garage at the Glen).

Other ideas, opinions, thoughts?

slow day

Seriously, though, if the dinner added, say, $40 to the cost of a (say), a $500-$600 weekend event, would that be worth it? For me, the dinner at the summit is way cool. I love the astronomy lesson. I enjoyed having a beer on the deck and watching for shooting starts. I liked riding the gondola up (although I stayed on the mountain, so I had a free ticket). For me, that dinner is worth at least $50 (which is probably about what dinner would cost at a nice restaurant, without alcohol. Also, the food was pretty darn good, as I recall.

OTOH, dinner at the base in a function room (four years ago, was it) wasn't worth it to me because there wasn't anything special about it.

But this is me. If I were a newcomer to the club, I would really appreciate a sit-down dinner with big tables. I'm assured of being able to converse with someone. Maybe I'd try to find my instructor or some other friendly face.

By contrast, my first garage event with GVC was kind of awkward because I couldn't find a familar face and there was just milling around. I'm not saying that I have to have a dinner to make my social life complete, but it does seem like a new thing, especially for those that might not hook up with pre-existing friends for dinner.

I'm wondering if, absent a dinner, we could have some system for helping make sure that newcomers have someone to eat with. I ate alone at the Glen once and didn't think it was so fun.

DanChadwick (2/8/2008)

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It makes sense to think of this in a cost/person perspective. With, say, 150 people, $1000 doesn't go far -- that would cover tap water and a PB&J.

Seriously, though, if the dinner added, say, $40 to the cost of a (say), a $500-$600 weekend event, would that be worth it? For me, the dinner at the summit is way cool. I love the astronomy lesson. I enjoyed having a beer on the deck and watching for shooting starts. I liked riding the gondola up (although I stayed on the mountain, so I had a free ticket). For me, that dinner is worth at least $50 (which is probably about what dinner would cost at a nice restaurant, without alcohol. Also, the food was pretty darn good, as I recall.

I'm wondering if, absent a dinner, we could have some system for helping make sure that newcomers have someone to eat with. I ate alone at the Glen once and didn't think it was so fun.

Dan you bring up a good point re the new people that join.  Although i doubt someone that drags it up to Tremblant is going solo at this point.  "you" almost want to have a structured gathering for people to meet and chew the fat about the day's events maybe with your instructor, heck have them head a table of their students if they are will to entertain the idea.  This way a newbie will at least have a familiar face when they eat if they choose to go.

Oh course I know the instructors already give a lot of themselves to the club, so i understand if they bail as well.  It would also add to the nightmare of scheduling.

Oh, and what is so wrong with PB and J?