Retirement Dinner Facts

GUIDELINES
Ideally, retirement dinners create the impression of being a casual, relaxed and smooth flowing social occurrence. This is generally true, but a lot of hard work goes into setting up a successful retirement dinner. The following information is offered as a guide.

I. INITIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Usually, the responsibility falls to the last "working assignment" of the retiree or a good friend. Choose multiple dates and locations to accomodate for holidays, platoon working, religious restraints, changing occupancy and other factors. Notify and follow up with the Relief Association Trustee responsible for additional details.

II. COORDINATE WITH THE GUEST OF HONOR
With the guest of honor, discuss possible dates, times, places, menu, who will be Master of Ceremonies and seating arrangements. You should also determine whether or not spouses, other members of the family or outside friends will attend and if an invocation is needed. Consider the possibility of providing transportation to and from the Dinner for the Guest of Honor.

III. CONTACT THE RESTAURANT
Discuss date, time, accommodations, menu, costs (including tax and tip), public address system, decorations, bar needs, etc. If all your needs can be met, make tentative reservations. Then, check and clear the date with the master calendar in the Community Service Unit — THIS IS A MUST — at 213-978-3820 and place dinner on the Master calendar. Once all that's done,  make permanent reservations. (Consider that about 10% of attendees do not make reservations.)

IV. NOTIFYING ATTENDEES
Once the reservations are finalized, notify the Guest of Honor, Master of Ceremonies and the Relief Association (Liz Perez at 323 259-5259). The retirement badge and "Red Book" will be ordered when the member files for retirement at the Relief Association. Check with Fire Personnel Services for Personal Record Book (usually presented by the honoree's immediate supervisor), Service Pin and Certificate of Appreciation (usually presented by a Chief Officer).IF there are any other presentations to be made, you should arrange them at this point.

V. OTHER NOTIFICATIONS
Other people and organizations that should be notified include: other related organizations to which the Guest of Honor belongs and the City Council Member & Fire Commission. You should also forward Weekly Bulletin notice to the Community Service Unit no later than 3:00 PM on Wednesday (4 weeks prior to the date of the dinner) to begin publication in the next week's Bulletin. The notice must be on plain white or yellow paper, typed, double spaced, in duplicate and signed. The name, day and date must be underlined with the name all in capitals. (Any announcements not following the proper format will be sent back to the person submitting the announcement.) Forward the properly formatted announcement to the Relief Association for publication in the Grapevine and on the Web site at retirementdinners@lafra.org by the 5th of the month, at least 60 days prior to the date of the dinner.

RETIREMENT DINNER SAMPLE

Name: JOHN A. DOE, Engineer, F. S. 120 B

Place: OAK ROOM

17000 Ventura Blvd., Encino

Date & Time: Friday, January 2, 200

Social Hour: 6:30 PM Dinner: 7:30 PM

Food & Price: Top Sirloin, $7.50, includes tax, tip & gift

Reservations: Call F. S. 120 (213) 237 7241

(if applicable) SPOUSES ARE CORDIALLY INVITED

(click here to fill out and submit announcement online)

VI. CONSIDERING THE GIFT
Determine nature of gift(s) by talking with fellow workers, family, friends, etc. Collect gift donations from Battalion, Section, Bureau, etc. Consider gift donations to be made at time of dinner. (Usually, the cost of the gift is added to the price of the dinner.) And you may want to get a flower gift if a wife is to attend the dinner, or send a bouquet to her the day of the dinner.

VII. MISCELLANEOUS
There is no mechanism for supplying a photographer. Check page 3 of the Grapevine, or call at 323.259.5200 Ext. 231 or 260 or e-mail grapevine@lafra.org for a current list photographers who are active in contributing materials for publication. It is up to you to make your own deal. Usually, free dinners are provided for photographer, members of the family and, of course, the Guest of Honor. Determine who will write the Grapevine article. Consult the "Red Book" for an outline to prepare the article. The article must be typed, double spaced and with the picture, forwarded to the Grapevine by the 1st of the month to be included in the following month's issue. If a teletype notice becomes necessary, contact the proper Bureau. Acquire a guest book to be at the collection desk, or you can obtain a "Red Book" through LAFRA.

VIII. COUNTDOWN
About a week before the dinner, go back over your notes to make sure nothing has been overlooked. Stay in touch with the Guest of Honor to make sure sickness or some other complication has not interfered with plans. Be careful not to over-estimate the number of guests when dealing with the restaurant. (Some restaurants make you pay for the number of reservations made. If you give a lower number of guests, the restaurant can always add more dinners.) Provide the Master of Ceremonies with a list of reservations so he can arrange the sequence of speakers. All people "working" on the dinner should arrive at least one hour early. Good luck!