I really enjoy volunteering!
Today our sustainable living group had their opportunity to make some funds via a barbecue. For those in Australia it was one of those Bunnings Warehouse affairs, where you put your community groups name into a hat and you get allocated a weekend day at the start of the calendar year.
Our allocation was today, and it was beautiful and sunny and the punters were out in droves. However when my friend David and I went to get the sausages and bread from our local independent supermarket it was only 4 degrees C (39.2F). Once we got moving and started to set up for the event at Bunnings, we certainly warmed up quickly. I left after set up, but returned to do a 4 hour shift on the grill.
I took over from Liz and Karrie who had a great little system going, and when I started at 12 noon, I needed a helping hand, so my daughters boyfriend Jake pitched in on the grill as well. He cooked the snags, I cooked the onions and served the customers. We had a person stacking a slice of bread on some a napkin (100% recycled office paper), and I put on the snag and onion. A separate person without gloves on handled all of the money and sold the cans of drink (which we encouraged the buyer to recycle). We were run off our feet all day.
It was great fun, we had a lot of laughs, and I would do it again in a heart beat, even though I am totally knackered now! A very satisfying feeling indeed.
By having just one BBQ a year, we make enough funds to keep the group afloat and to pay all of our public liability insurances. We also have some left over to pay for workshops, presentations, public education, stationary, and an end of year celebration.
So a big thank you goes out to the members and friends that helped out today. Thanks to David, Jan, Stacey, Karrie, Perry, Amy, Thomas, Liz, Megan, Jake, Carolyn, Elyssa, and Rod without whose help it would not have been possible. Also thanks to the Lions Club of Melton for the use of their portable cool room. Most of all a big kiss and thank you to Kim, my wife who organised everything behind the scenes, who is the backbone of the group and keeps us all organised.
Who else likes volunteering for a local community group? I certainly find that by working together it helps build bonds that are strong and long lasting.
Those sausage sizzles at Bunning’s get so busy. They get us DIY types at such at such weak moment with the delicious smell of charred onions!! Well done and glad it was a success.
Cheers
Anita
Thanks Anita. I made sure we had onions on the grill at all times to entice the public. They couldn’t resist!
Gav x
Good one. My kids’ schools do those sometimes as well, and also at the local town markets. They really can give you a good boost of funds!