Plans are shaping up for Graniterock's 125-year anniversary✨

Hosted by Graniterock's accounts payable manager Abbie Gordon, we get the scoop on plans for the Company's 125-year birthday party taking place Feb. 22, 2025.
 
Donita Granado from the materials sales team and HR's Manny Garcia join the show for a look into what to expect for our 125th celebration at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. 

Donita sheds light on hotel rooms secured, including room blocks at the Marriott Monterey and Monterey Plaza Hotel. 
Plus, with shuttle services from other hotels, team members can arrive stress-free.

Manny ramps up the excitement by revealing the fun elements in store, including photo booths, a 360 video booth with playful props and a roving photographer to capture the party's candid moments. 

Got questions? 
Email the celebration team at 125team@graniterock.com and stay tuned for our final podcast in December. 

A huge thanks to Donita and Manny for their willingness to jump on the microphone!

Chapters

• 0:09 Company Party Planning Details
• 8:14 Adults-Only Party Planning Information

Transcript

Abbie: 0:09

Welcome back to our second 125 party podcast. I'm your host, abby Gordon, and today I have the pleasure of having two out of our 15 committee team members join me. Today we have Danita Granato, whom is one of our Northern Sales reps. Danita has held many hats during her time here and she has also been on the committee from the start. Also joining us is Manny Garcia. Manny has been here a couple of years and works as one of our HR business partners, so welcome the two of you. Thank you. As I mentioned before, this is our second podcast, so if you haven't listened to the first one, please go back, as it has additional information about the party. And just for a quick little recap, the party will be held at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on February 22nd 2025 from 645 pm to 1130. From 6 45 pm to 11 30. Danita, you've been in charge of our accommodations for the event. Can you please give us a little bit more information and when we can start booking a room if we choose to do so?

Donita: 1:16

yes, I have secured two major hotels down in the monterey area the Marriott's Monterey as well as the Plaza Hotel, both down by the Old Wharf. We've got room blocks for both of those. They will be available on the QR code that you can pull up either the discount code or the room link that'll take you right to it so you can either call or book online. We've also have the Intercontinental for those that don't want to walk that half mile distance or travel from the Marriott's or the Portola. We've got just a discount code for those that don't want to walk that half mile distance or travel from the Marriott's or the Portola. We've got just a discount code for those that want to book a room there at the Intercontinental. And all of those will be available on the QR code when you click on that, with all the other information regarding the event.

Abbie: 1:57

So speaking of walking, I know we are also working on having shuttles from the two hotels that are in further distance, so that will be an option for attendees who are staying at the Portola or the Marriott to jump on the shuttle. I'll take you to the aquarium in probably like half an hour intervals or 15 minutes, and then we'll take you back after the event is over.

Donita: 2:26

That's correct. Yeah, they're still working on the details of that, but it'll either be every 15 minutes throughout the night or every half hour, rotating from both hotels down into the to the aquarium.

Abbie: 2:36

And I don't. That's not something that they will have to. Attendees will have to reserve. They'll just be able to jump in the line, get on to the shuttle and we'll take you to and from safely yes, that's correct for those that were at the event at the levi stadium, we did something similar to this as well.

Donita: 2:54

We had the small shuttle buses pick you up from levi stadium and take you over to the Olaf Hotel and, as well, took you there to the event.

Abbie: 3:02

So it'll be very similar to that Great now, manny, I know part of your tasks have been the photographer and the photo booths. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?

Manny: 3:14

Yeah, of course.

Manny: 3:14

So we have two photo booths and a video booth that are going to be placed around the Monterey bay aquarium.

Manny: 3:20

So we are going to have a photo booth that's going to be near the entrance, so why, when you walk in, you're going to see a photo booth and we're going to have the other photo booth and video booth scattered around, so I encourage everyone to walk around the aquarium, try to find it.

Manny: 3:32

The video booth is going to be a 360 video booth, so this is pretty cool. You're going to stand in the middle I think it can fit up to four to five people and there's a camera that's going to go around you and take a quick five second or so video of you and then download it and you can share it with yourself. And then the two photo booths are going to be similar to what we've done in previous years, where it'll have a nice backdrop. It'll be either a granite rock backdrop it's something that we're still deciding on and it's a good opportunity to take pictures with your family, with your partner, with whoever you're taking to the event. And in addition to that, we also have the roving photographer, so we're going to have someone walking around taking pictures throughout the entirety of the event, so it'll be nice to just have some candid shots of everyone, and I'm really excited about that.

Abbie: 4:13

So on each of the photo booths will there be props that attendees can use to enhance their pictures.

Manny: 4:20

Yeah, of course. So there'll be nice little mustaches, fun glasses, some Granite Rock logos that we're going to add on there. So it's a really cool opportunity to take pictures, some funny pictures, and I was looking back when we first started planning this on some of the pictures of I think it was the 120th party so it was before I got here and it is really cool to see all those pictures and how different everyone looks.

Abbie: 4:46

So it's a great opportunity Now, once the party's over. How soon will the roving photographer photos be available so that attendees can go and look and see them?

Manny: 4:57

Yeah, of course. So those pictures are going to be shared with us pretty quickly. It'll probably be within two weeks, but after that there's going to be just a short period of time where we have to go through the pictures, make sure that all the pictures are appropriate. If there's anything that we need to take out, we'll go ahead and do that there and then, I would say, within a month or so, we'll share the pictures with the rest of the team.

Abbie: 5:16

Great. Now the biggest topic that I like to talk about is the food. Food, food, food. What can you tell us about the food that will be served that night?

Manny: 5:26

Yeah, of course. So I'm also part of the subcommittee where we're picking out what we're going to have. Right now we have Zoe that's been working very closely with the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She wasn't able to join us today, but we have that tasting that's coming up soon. So we are going to have a walking dinner that we had talked about, I believe, on the previous podcast.

Manny: 5:44

So we're not going to be sitting down having a formal dinner like we have in previous events. Instead, there's going to be stations around the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the dinner is going to include two salads that you can pick from, three entrees and three sides, and there's also going to be fresh break bread and butter in the stations. Even though we are going to be having a strolling dinner for everyone, there are going to be seats around, so there's going to be some designated seating. So it's not a sign, but everyone, if you get tired, if you're wearing heels, there is going to be an opportunity for you to just relax. Take a seat with some people from your team and enjoy your dinner.

Abbie: 6:18

What about desserts?

Manny: 6:19

Yeah. So in addition to the dinner, there's also going to be three mini desserts that are also going to be stationed after dinner served, and there's going to be coffee from Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Company. That's going to be. And then, for those that don't want caffeine that late, there's also going to be a decaf coffee version for people.

Abbie: 6:37

And I think correct me if I'm wrong the dinner will be served from 6.45 to 8.45?.

Manny: 6:44

Yeah, so we're going to have dinner from 6.45 to 8.45, and then around 8.30 is when they're going to start setting up coffee tea dessert, and that's going to be available throughout the rest of the party, so until 11.30.

Abbie: 6:56

Okay, great. And just a reminder the save the dates for the party is going to be mid-September and the actual invitations go out in December. So even though it seems like it's so far away, it is six months away. But to the people who are planning this party it's right around the corner. So once Christmas comes and goes, that party will be here before you know it.

Manny: 7:22

Yeah, it feels like when we started planning this party it felt like we had an eternity and we're coming up on six months already, but it'll be a lot of fun.

Abbie: 7:29

Okay, so also for additional information, there will be a Rock Talk QR code that will be coming out along with on the save the date. That same QR code will be there as well as on branch posters. So if you do not have a company email, that is two other ways where you can click on the QR code, download that information to your mobile device and always have the most current information at hand in regarding the party.

Manny: 8:07

And just as a reminder too. So every we're inviting all active employees to this party. Every employee is also going to get a plus one. We are having an adults only party, so it's going to be anyone 18 plus. So it's. I know sometimes it's hard to leave your kids at home, but it's a good opportunity to have a date night. Just have a night with your partner, enjoy your day and and the kids will be waiting for you when you get home. Yeah, so if anyone has any questions that we haven't answered in one of the first two podcasts, you can also reach out to 125team at grandarockcom. That'll send an email out to the rest of the team and we'll make sure to get that answered, either directly to you or on the next podcast.

Abbie: 8:42

Well, thank you, Danita and Manny, for joining me today. On the second podcast, we will have a third one which will hopefully give us all the final details, and that will be in December.

Manny: 8:54

Thank you for having us.

Abbie: 8:55

You're welcome this was fun.

Manny: 8:57

First time podcaster.