Well the time has finally arrived after months of planning and preparation. The 2009 International Pionot Noir Celebration is going to be at Linfield College this weekend for its 23rd annual event. Featured wineries will be from Oregon, Washington, California, Canada, France, Austria, Australia, and New Zealand and guests will be flying in from all over the world. I love communicating with people with accents and hearing stories from people who have traveled the globe. For about 3 days a lady from Bermuda was e-mailing me to get details on weather, travel ideas, and even clothing options, so crazy...Bermuda.
Our office works with the registration of lodging for the guests and volunteers for the event. We have at least 230 volunteers staying on campus, though more work the event but choose to stay at home if they live close to campus. Our normal summer crew of 38 make the rooms up and with the addition of 40 extra student workers for the weekend do the serving of the 800-1,000 guests (depending on year) and move the table/chair set ups around campus for each event which include the Grand Dinner, Sparkling Brunch, Alfresco Lunches, Salmon Bake, ect. The guests are able to partake in group activities which are both on and off campus. Off campus the guests are able to attend group activities of winery tours with catered meals and then while on campus there are wine tastings and guest speakers.
The table settings are beautiful...
Our office works with the registration of lodging for the guests and volunteers for the event. We have at least 230 volunteers staying on campus, though more work the event but choose to stay at home if they live close to campus. Our normal summer crew of 38 make the rooms up and with the addition of 40 extra student workers for the weekend do the serving of the 800-1,000 guests (depending on year) and move the table/chair set ups around campus for each event which include the Grand Dinner, Sparkling Brunch, Alfresco Lunches, Salmon Bake, ect. The guests are able to partake in group activities which are both on and off campus. Off campus the guests are able to attend group activities of winery tours with catered meals and then while on campus there are wine tastings and guest speakers.
The table settings are beautiful...
Desserts for the weekend are always AMAZING
As is the food...
The Salmon Bake is very popular with the guests
And of course there is the WINE..
This was only half way into the weekend, by the end it was over flowing...
During the event the Matra D's dress in nice black sutes or black dresses, however as per tradition during the Sparkling Brunch on Sunday they dress with shorts and sunglasses.
I have worked for the last four years with IPNC during the academic school getting people registered and helping with planning and preparation, and for the last three of those years I have worked during the actual event where I get to see all the hard work pay off. Being able to finally meet the people I have been in communication with is a wonderful feeling, and it is even better when you see repeat guests/volunteers/organizers who you see year after year and build a repor. These relationships are great places to launch the social networking for jobs and travel oportunities in the future. I know several people who have been able to have lodging abroad in families homes because of the relationships formed with IPNC.
I will miss not being involved with the event next year, I have loved the past four years and even though there was a lot of stressful moments it reinforced the idea of the infamous Larry Southers..."You have to be like a duck; calm cool and collected on the surface but paddling like H E double hockey sticks under the water "
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