Last Saturday night was our ward Thanksgiving dinner, and with my new position in the ward, I was involved from the get go.
The involvement part was a little new to me. As a general rule, I don't attend ward activities. Sorry. I don't go to enrichment meetings or dinners or ward functions. Again, sorry.
If I'm in Primary, I'm all over the Sacrament Meeting program and Primary activities. When I'm in the Young Women's program, I'm there every Sunday and at the majority of the activities. I tend to hunker down in the organization that I'm called to and give it my all. You can count on me.
But as for the whole ward stuff, I've kind of
So that's changing, right here, right now.
Got myself a new calling - I'm on the Activities Committee!
In 19 years of adulthood and holding callings, this is a first for me. I've been a teacher in Relief Society, a Primary teacher (many times), a Young Women's Advisor (many times), Primary and Young Women's Prez., a nursery leader, and a counselor in both RS and YW. Been there, done that.
But Activities Committee? I have to admit that my jaw dropped a little when I was asked to serve there. I may have even leaned forward and whispered,
"But I don't go to ward activities."
Hmmmmm. I guess I will now. They figured out a way to get me there.
Truth be told, I wasn't ready to leave the Young Women. I have loved every minute of the past 2 1/2 years. Loved the girls, loved the other leaders, loved going_to_camp, everything. Change is hard.
So back to the AC. We started having planning meetings right away - we had to orchestrate a Thanksgiving dinner for 300 people in less than two weeks. It was crunch time.
The committee was awesome. There's about 8 of us. Crunch time is actually kind of fun when you're all doing it together. We split up the big stuff like food purchasing, decorations, the Giving Tree (our version of an angel tree), and set up, and then sent out sign up sheets for the actual cooking of the food. TaDa! Ward party!
When Troy and I arrived at the church to start the decorating, the tables and chairs were already set up for us. The Giving Tree was being assembled and a few people were in the kitchen slicing turkeys and getting food into giant roaster ovens to stay hot. We had 30 banquet tables to get ready - salt and pepper, water, silverware, dressing, butter, cranberry sauce, etc. It was crazy-busy. (and kind of fun)
My friend showed up with her kids and they helped decorate. They're not on the committee. Another guy came with his 12 year old daughter and she helped with all sorts of things while he carved meat. Not on the committee. The couple in the kitchen, doing all kinds of cooking - not on the committee. This was a Saturday afternoon and they didn't have to be there! But they were.
When things really started getting going and the food was being plated, we had many non-committee people pitching in. A few women left their husbands with the kids while they dished up plates for a couple hundred. Left their husbands with the kids, hehehehe. The Young Men and Young Women did all the serving.
I don't even know who cleared the tables, took out the garbage and put all the chairs and tables away. The kitchen clean up was done by people who could've left as soon as their pie was gone. Instead, they stayed and did an outrageous amount of dishes.
And I mean, out-rageous.
This huge dinner, this ward event, wasn't put on and accomplished by just the Activities Committee. It was pulled off by the whole ward. I was amazed. And humbled.
I so want to tell the names of all these wonderful people - the actual committee members and especially all of the people who came and helped out even when they didn't have to - but I'm worried that I would forget someone. I certainly didn't see it all...but everything got done.
It was a good feeling - to help out, to be in the thick of things, to serve others and see the ward come together in a wonderful way. I kind of liked it.
Maybe this ward activity thing isn't so bad.
8 comments:
Oh, Wendy, do you remember the days I was the chair person of the activities committee? Yikes, there was one Christmas dinner I has people dropping off like flies.
Brent and I set up the entire cultral hall together. Just us.
You are very fortunate you had such great help.
Let me ask though, did you have a million little kids running around and screaming(TEE HEE) Or are they all grown up now?
I'm so glad you wrote this post! I was humbled as well by everyone who just plain did SOMETHING to help out! I tried to blog my experience, but it sounded way too negative towards Jake (because I'm NOT on the committee). So I just put it in my personal journal. You would laugh at my list of all the food we had for 300 people on my kitchen counters at one time. I was getting claustrophobic! We appreciated your help so much!!!
Oh, and I just read Jake your post on WoW (he can obviously read, but he's too busy playing WoW himself to look at blogs!), and here's what he said about bribing with gold- "Wow, 5 gold for a Coke, he's nuts!" Sad that that sentence makes sense to me :(
Amber! Jake was awesome!!! What's to be negative about? Seriously, he seemed cool, calm and collected the entire evening. And I keep forgetting that you aren't even on the committee - you do SOOOO much. Both of you do. We had a really good time. Thanks for everything.
And Angi - I honestly have no idea if there were kids running everywhere. I was dishing food and washing/drying dishes the whole time it was going on. The kids you remember have grown up, but new ones have been born.
What a sucess! I'm inspired Wendy and Amber. Yes Angi--I remember when you were the Activities chair and how excited you were when you were realeased! It's a lot of pressure. Way to go ladies.
I am really not looking forward to our Christmas party. I have the feeling there will not be so much help for us. When we moved in Dan actually said, I hoped we get called to the AC or something. And we did. Now that we are, it's not as laid back as we thought!! No complaints yet though, just a little dread! Glad yours turned out so well and you had so much help!
I agree with your post. If you only rely on the committee to get things done, it won't get done! I love that this ward will pitch in and help when they aren't asked.
And...Why don't you come to Enrichment? Maybe I'll have to get you on my committee as well!
Sounds like it all turned out great! I think it really is mostly about attitude. No wonder it was a success.
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