Thursday, June 18, 2009

Update on my proposal

I have been getting voice mails and emails asking about the status of my proposal to my daughter’s school to provide food services for the 2009/2010 school year.

Last Tuesday the school principal and department heads met for there weekly meeting and on the agenda was the my proposal. I made up a tray of homemade cookies and fruit kabobs to help them digest my proposal. The next day I was told that they liked the idea and would support it at the school board meeting. Yea!

This past Tuesday was the board meeting, I was cautiously optimistic, as I knew I had four out of ten members supporting me. Once again I made up a tray of homemade cookies, squares and cut up strawberries to help sway the board to my way of thinking. Yesterday I went a little early to pick up my daughter and spent a few minutes speaking to the principal about the outcome of the board meeting.

He said “I have good news and bad new”.

“First the board likes the proposal and likes the idea of food services for the school”. “So go ahead and try for a few months”.

The Bad news:

“The commercial kitchen is part of phase II and is not scheduled to be completed till December 31, 2009”.

I am unclear if December 31 includes the kitchen outfitted with counters, plumbing and equipment or is just a roughed in shell. So where does this leave me?

Using the existing kitchen is out of the question, as the board of health would never approve it. I can go back to the soup and sandwich idea but it does still require an investment on my part with a higher risk of return. Today I went and checked out a small snack food spot in a recreation center. I spoke to the lady who worked there and got some feed back from her. I was looking at her layout and space required.
Mr. Sunshine has offered to come to the school to check out where I could set up.
I am thinking along the lines of setting up near the new kitchen area, using a counter style layout. I would have a limited menu, as I can’t cook anything. But I could make sandwiches, have soup, chili, make toast, bagels and have pre-made snack foods. I could have a microwave. If I got a full size refrigerator I could also do Popsicles and freezes and pop that is not sold in the vending machine. I would be on a limited menu but maybe it would be easier to start small till the kitchen is complete. One of the concerns is being able to find and afford a counter system that I could somehow incorporate in to the future layout so the money is not wasted. Also the school would have to provide plumbing for sinks (I would need three).
It all seems overwhelming and I find it never ending. And I feel like I am going in circles. I am so confused and not sure just what to do anymore. So what do I do?

3 comments:

  1. Carolin, take Mr. Sunshine up on his offer. Then you will be able to see the possibilities. It would probably be better to start off slowly so as not to be too overwhelmed by it all. I know this venture will be a great success and many years from now it will be such a routine you will not remember all this startup stuff!

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  2. Well Carolin, I really believe that you need to continue to pursue this venture. I think that you are getting discouraged solely because of your time lines. I understand why but don't make that the only reason that you accept or reject this proposal. Keep your chin up. Most great things require a lot of work and determination to bring them to light but in the end it will be worth it. Good luck this weekend.

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  3. Stop questioning your self and GO FOR IT. You can start with a small but interesting menue. Use crookpots and get the whole school smelling good and you will get lot of business. Even microwave popcorn will bring the staff out of there offices, it did at March. Everyone loves rice Krispie squares. This is a well thought out idea and it will succeed.
    Love You Mommie

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