The WBFN Annual Potluck Picnic on October 3rd was a grand success anyway you look at it. “Almost 300 people attended. The volunteer help was extraordinary. The picnic preparations and earlier shopping went smoothly. The registration table team welcomed all who attended with the most beautiful smile, capturing their hearts and making them feel relaxed. The food table looked mouthwatering and the food was delicious. The games were cool, the decorations stylish, the teens dedicated, the husbands patient, and, and, and...the list could go on.”

Daniela Drapakova enjoyed the picnic immensely, “It was great to be part of such an excellent team led by Uta with her typically positive attitude, even about the weather. Sitting at the registration table was a great opportunity to welcome newcomers and greet old friends. I was impressed by all the hat creations and the new funny games like the shoe-box run, scavenger hunt, and delicious no-hands donut-eating game. The whole event was simply superb, thanks to all the volunteers and all the others who came all the way to Bretton Woods to have fun together. As a friend mentioned, it was the biggest and most entertaining picnic ever!”

Annemarie says, “You should have seen the magic hat on Anne’s head and the blackbird on Olga’s and all the other fantasy hats! At some moment it was like being in a novel of Goethe or an opera of Verdi. Gentle young people guided young and old through various games of fun and wit on the sunlit lawns. It was an afternoon of beauty and joy, resulting in reflections on how many hours some people had given us all of their time to make it come through.”

Uta Steckhan, who organized the picnic with her teammates, says, “Every member pitched in to do their little bit and was enthusiastically available to help the whole day. Games are intercultural. It was a pleasure to discover while preparing the picnic that although we come from different countries, the games we played as kids were very similar! Sometimes the simplest things turn out to be the best: the creative hats were a blast. Even some very serious husbands created crazy hats and wore them the whole day! The food was varied and tasty: homemade sushi, regional specialties, salmon, vegetables, fruit, fried wontons and homemade cakes. Although the food table almost collapsed under the weight of all these delicacies, the 20 pizzas that were ordered disappeared in no time!”

Attributing the success of the picnic to the great job done by volunteers, Uta says, “Laura and Noosha did a great job at the registration table. Olga had brilliant ideas for games and prepared a challenging scavenger hunt. Annemarie reliably helped in transporting all the things from and back to the office and with the games and cleanup! Maaike managed the teens very well! Rula and Nefertare helped at the food table for hours. Catherine was great, helping everywhere, and a great support during the preparations. Daniela never lost sight of the overview and helped wherever necessary, even managing the carpooling! Elena, Selene and Miren had great ideas for games and were a great support before and during the picnic! Sadeem managed to turn the huge picnic area into a stylish environment, proving a great sense of design and feeling for colors. Margret and Gilda did a super job with the poster; the family pictured on the poster came to the picnic and was really happy to receive one of the posters as a present from WBFN President Anne Folliet. Sharmi and her elegant henna painting were a big hit. Ibrahim, a professional photographer, took many amazing pictures!”

To sum up in Maaike’s words, “Uta has a knack of bringing people together in a very happy manner; she makes it feel as if the team is a smoothly oiled machine that hops from fun to fun. She alone made everybody believe that it would be sunny, instead of the announced thunderstorms. And guess what: she was right! The fun she injected into the picnic was contagious. I have never seen so many people spontaneously make crazy hats,engage in games, and have a happy time.”

Uta, Daniela, Annemarie & Maaike