Church socials, or a close cousin thereof, are making a comeback. What a great way to promote fellowship and fun, especially during summer. Some churches keep it simple with an outdoor picnic following worship. More adventurous planners may opt for a full afternoon of fun outside. Are you thinking sunshine, the beach, and perhaps splashing in Lake Erie? Great ideas. Before you know it, your church members and friends could be heading to Huntington Beach Park, Edgewater Park, or Geneva-on-the-Lake for the church social of the season. Don’t forget the food… especially recipes prepared straight out of your church cookbook with one-of-a-kind love and taste!

If you are planning and organizing an outdoor church social, be mindful of the following safety precautions. One of your main goals is to ensure everyone has a great experience. The call you hope to hear from participants afterward is “let’s do this again next year!”. If all goes well, you might hear from some volunteers who are excited to assist with your next event.

Safety measures to consider incorporating in your church’s summertime social:

– Each game/activity should be continuously supervised by a capable and responsible adult.

– Implement a buddy system for children, if they must leave the immediate area your group occupies.

– Set a minimum age for which children, including their buddy, can leave the immediate area without an authorized adult accompanying them. It is a good idea to give children a time limit within which they are expected to return.

– A responsible adult should regularly check on children who are away from the immediate area.

– Waders and swimmers should be required to stay within the area patrolled by a lifeguard. ALL children under the age of 12 in or near any body of water should be supervised by a responsible adult AT ALL TIMES.

– Remember to bring a First Aid Kit that is within the care, custody, or control of at least two responsible adults (a primary adult, and a back-up adult in the event of an emergency).

– Protect the food! All perishable/spoilable food and beverages should be contained in an insulated cooler with lots of ice, the lid securely closed, and monitored by a responsible adult. Keep food out of direct sunlight. If you are setting food out for any length of time, limit it to non-perishable snacks.

– Forget the alcohol. The safest rule-of-thumb is to restrict beverages to non-alcoholic. If alcohol is permitted, limit it to BYOB, adults only.

Call your TRUSTED CHOICE INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENT at The Richey-Barrett Co. to discuss any insurance concerns about church special events.