Volunteers make things happen
On July 3, the Rib Lake community celebrated the opening of its new bandshell, with the goal of having performances and events to bring the community together.
The dedication was a culmination of many hours of work from volunteer organizers and the support of individuals, businesses and industry donors. Together they worked to make it a reality and deserve a well-earned round of applause.
At the same time that Rib Lake was celebrating the dedication of its new bandshell and kicking off the annual Independence Day celebration, large community events were also underway in Medford, Perkinstown and Jump River. These events brought people and their communities together.
Over the next eight weeks, the area will see the Grass on the Black music festival, Old School Street Dance and Chair Affair auction, Lublin Days, Westboro’s 150th anniversary celebration, the Rumblefest Car Show, the Taylor County Fair, the 50th anniversary celebration for Centennial Hall in Stetsonville, Rib Lake Ice Age Days, Back in Time Tractor Show, the Chelsea Fall Festival and Parkfest. This list of major events being planned doesn’t count the ball tournaments, church picnics, golf outings, community concerts and other events that bring people and the community together week after week.
The common thread of all of these events and activities is that they do not happen by accident, nor would they exist at all without the effort, planning and dedication of committed volunteers.
The volunteers are the women and men who put in the hours of planning and scheduling. They are the people who work late into the night before an event and who are there hours before it begins to make sure things are ready. They are the ones who staff the concession stands, who grill up the chicken dinners and who help build the floats for the parades. They are also the ones there early the next morning when many attendees are nursing hangovers to clean up and put things away.
Volunteers are the ones who watch the weather forecasts and who do the paperwork to get needed permits and permissions. They are the ones who work behind the scenes, giving up time with their families and friends in order to do their part to make their community better.
Without volunteers these events could not and would not happen. When you are at an event in the coming weeks, and throughout the year, take a few moments to thank the volunteers for their efforts and let them know they are appreciated. Also consider taking your turn and pitching in. A great way to get involved is to join local service organizations such as Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, Knights of Columbus, veterans organizations, the Taylor County Fair Board, or other groups who work to organize and host events.
