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Last week I hunted down a navy blue Kiwanis t-shirt as I prepared to work
at the 53rd Annual Dodgeville Kiwanis Chicken BBQ. It was the first one I
had volunteered to work at since high school, when I participated as a Key
Club member.
I received my assignment a few weeks early and learned I would be helping
in the carry out line. I recognized many of the names that were also assigned
to carry out, and made new acquaintances when I arrived at Ley Memorial
Pavilion mid-afternoon on Thursday.
Since I was one of the first to arrive, Geri Gilmour let me pick which part
of carry out I wanted to do. At first I leaned toward putting the milk, fruit,
cookie and bun into their colored paper bags, but then I changed my mind,
instead working on the front line of carry outs. I wanted to greet all the faces
coming to get their chicken BBQ!
Geri and I got all the carry outs for the nursing homes ready to go first,
then the people started coming! And it got hot very quickly.
As more and more people started coming, the well-oiled machine picked
up its pace. Everyone was working in sync and even with the chicken cooker
troubles, things seemed to be going smoothly. We slowed down on occasion
as we waited for more chicken to arrive, but the patience of everyone waiting
in line was amazing. Chicken from the Kiwanis is always worth the wait!
It was important for me, and younger volunteers like me, to work the Kiwanis
Chicken BBQ, and to volunteer at other community events as well.
The core volunteers of these organizations won't be around forever, and we
need to step up and take their places in these organizations in order to keep
them functioning and providing funding, resources, etc. to our communities.
Set an example and volunteer for something in your community. It is rewarding
in more ways than one.