A hot time was had by all at the ninth annual All-Staff Picnic Thursday.
 
But summer heat did nothing to discourage early arrivals and enthusiasm for the popular event. Although the picnic officially started at 11:30 a.m., by 11:20 several hundred staff members on the hunt for prime seats, umbrella tables and shade were already lined up at the east end of Dickson Plaza winding south around the Humanities Building.
 
The picnic was co-sponsored by the UCLA Staff Assembly and Chancellor Gene Block. In addition to helping pass out the free boxed lunches to the thousands who attended, Block offered thanks to staff volunteers for putting together the event and helping create the sense of warmth and comfort on UCLA’s campus.
 
"UCLA would not be UCLA without your efforts," Block said. Knowing the main reason everyone was there — to party — the chancellor shared the main lesson he has learned speaking at the picnics. "After six years of attending staff picnics, keep it really short."
 
Block was joined on the stage by Staff Assembly President Cindy Cordova who thanked staff for helping to organize the picnic and welcomed everyone with a reminder to get involved with staff events.
 
During the festivities, staff members from across all units of campus enjoyed turkey and vegetarian sandwiches, chips, cookies, kettle corn and, to keep cool, juicy slices of watermelon, cold lemonade and ice cream, which ran out as staffers tried to stay cool.
 
Besides providing a welcome escape from their jobs, the picnic gave the rhythmically inclined a chance to let loose. Staff members, along with Joe and Josephine Bruin, nearly filled the makeshift "dance floor" just east of Shapiro Fountain to show off their footwork to songs that included "Blurred Lines," "Thriller" and the "Cha Cha Slide," for which the DJ provided line dance instructions.
 
The biggest musical hit, though, was "UCLA Has Talent" winner Shalonda Martin, director of gift and data processing, who wowed the crowd with her smoking a capella rendition of Alicia Keys’ "Girl on Fire."
 
The perfect anthem for a hot, but happy day.