My brother, Ron, is active in raising money for MDA each year. One of his main events (as mentioned in an earlier blog posting) is a Hamburger/Hot Dog, etc. Cookout each year.
Our sister Nedra always makes baked beans to offer as a side with his hamburgers and hot dogs. Once again this year she made lots and lots of baked beans. She did this in addition to baking the 150 loaves of pumpkin and banana bread for his bake sale.
Also, for the past several years I have made potato salad to offer as a side. And every year they always run out of baked beans and potato salad. So this year I used 30 lbs. of potatoes. Now, let me tell you that is a lot of potatoes to cook, peel and dice along with the other ingredients. I spent most of Thursday, August 27th, making the potato salad ... and slicing onions and tomatoes for the hamburgers. Larry and Nedra felt for me and helped peel the cooked potatoes.
Mother Nature cooperated with Oklahoma City and Friday, August 28, was a little cooler - there was a nice breeze. Our son-in-law Harold was in town and helped set up the tent awning. Ron is grateful for a supportive family. Larry took tables and helped complete the set up. I made my appearance about 10:00 a.m. The cookout was scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. However, if you know Oklahomans, there are always a few earlybird customers. Fortunately the volunteer cooking the meat was ready by 10:30 a.m. when the first customers arrived.
We had originally scheduled me to be the "money lady". Now that means watching the line to make sure no one "slips through" without paying. It really is a good price - $5 for a hamburger and a choice of two sides (choices were macaroni salad, cole slaw, baked beans, potato salad). However, when we got really busy around the lunch hour, I not only took the money but helped serve as well.
When I was young I tried my hand one day at trying to be a waitress. Needless to say, I wasn't very good at it. I soon found there were other part time jobs that fit better with my set of skills. So I did as a volunteer what I couldn't do for money ... that is I helped serve the food at the cookout! :)
I was especially pleased when Candace and Vance responded to my advertising of the cookout and came for lunch. Also Cathy and Harold stopped by on their way out of town. It's times like this that one especially appreciates friends and relatives.
The cookout location was in front of the 7-11 Store at 415 N. Rockwell. As customers arrived at the location, I enjoyed using my old "yell" skills from high school cheerleading to remind people there was good food available! Guess I wasn't too obnoxious ... at least no one told me to "go away"!
We were scheduled to close the cookout at 5:00 p.m. Some people requested we stay until 6:00 p.m. so they could pick up food on their way home from work. All in all it was fun and Ron informed us the proceeds exceeded last year's total. That was a good thing!
I guess I did okay as a volunteer "cashier/server" because some of the 7-11 employees had scheduled an Asian-American Cookout for the next Thursday. They asked if I would come back and help them that day. Being the new retiree that I am I agreed to help.
One of the unusual events of the Thursday cookout was meeting two customers from Germany. The two men were traveling Route 66 on motorcycles (I'm not sure if they were Harleys or not). They stopped at the cookout around 2:30 p.m. ... I asked what their destination was for the day. They planned to spend the night in Clinton and tour the Route 66 Museum there before resuming their trip. Interesting accents!!!
The Muscular Dystrophy Association has helped so many people through the years. We keep hoping that their continued research will some day bring an end to so much suffering. I am grateful I had the opportunity to do a little part in helping "Jerry's Kids"!
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