Super Saturday III: Avon Walk – Wellness Village

Location: Horner Park

Date: Saturday, June 01, 2013; 3:30-5:45 pm

Pit Stop for the night

Wilson dropped me off at Horner Park and as I looked around, I spotted a lot of Pink banners and a giant pink arch welcoming the walkers to ‘Avon Wellness Village’.  The walkers had just started arriving after their 26 mile walk and a lot of cheerleaders were welcoming them with thunderous applause, something that they truly deserved.  Speaking of thunderous, I was glancing nervously at the threatening clouds as I checked-in with Devon, who welcomed me back.  I had signed-up to help in ‘Tent Hospitality’, such as with the food or other activities, but Devon assigned me to ‘Tent Angel’, which had nothing to do with me being the resident's guardian angel, but was the helping people build their tents for the night.  Now, I have never gone camping or stayed in a tent, let along pitch one.  This was probably not going to go well, but in the spirit of trying new things, I said yes.

I walked around the camp and it truly was a village.  There was a huge tent for food, a medical area, as well as sponsors areas which had massage tents, yoga and other recovery activities to relive the stress of the long walk.  While this side of the village was to help the walkers relax, the other side was a field where they would be spending the night.  There were rows upon rows of pink tents that had already been pitched, through there were several spots still vacant.  I went over to the area where the walker’s luggage was assembled along with bags of tents.  It looked like an airport baggage claim area and when the walkers arrived, they would go and pick-up their luggage, which had already been delivered separately, and would be assigned a tent number.  Then, one or two volunteers would carry their bags along with the tent to their allocated area and then put the tent up for them.  The idea was that we were to do everything to make the walkers comfortable after their long day.  Plus, they still had another 13 miles of walk remaining tomorrow.

The tents that we had to assemble

One of the ladies took a few volunteers into the fields to show us how to assemble a tent.  It had rained heavily overnight and the field was a bit soggy.  As we made our way around the puddles and the wet grass, I was hoping that the rains would stay away, because the last things any of these walkers needed was a miserable night.  The lady opened the tent bag and showed us the various components, including stakes, flexible frames, hooks and the actual pink tent.  She told us that the first task was to identify the front of the tent and line it up with the other tents in the row.  Then we were to put the four stakes in and raise the flexible frame up and attach to hooks.  We were then to pass another frame across the top and secure the tarp on the tent, which was held up by the tension.  It looked simple, if we remembered to follow the exact steps, but as with other things, knowledge on paper is useless you do it yourself. 

The rain coming down on the village

I came back to the base and waited for walkers.  I was allocated a buddy, Shin, who would be working as my partner.  A couple had arrived and Shin and I were up.  We carried the bags to their allocated spot and then after a few minor missteps, had the tent up.  As were walking back, a lady said that the insides of her tent were completely wet, including her stuff inside.  This was a big shame and we told her that we would put up a new one for her.  We got a new tent and after taking her old one down, put the new one up.  Unfortunately it was at this moment that the rains arrived and all of us got totally soaked.  We tried to get her tent as dry as possible, but the damage to her bedding had already been done.  She knew that, but was still smiling and looked happy to be here.  We went back to the ‘Tent Angel’ area and now the rain was on and off.  Shin disappeared, but the people were still coming.  I helped another couple carry their bags and helped them get the tent up, though now the pouring rain was not our only issue; since the wind was blowing hard.  Some of the tents were taking a real pounding and we knew when we were beaten.  All of us retreated to the food tent and watched the rain come down. 

It was really the walkers who were the superstars

It was truly miserable out there and I was dripping. Plus, my fatigue was catching up with me. However, around me the people looked content.  There was a sense of accomplishment amongst them and they were enjoying their dinner after what must have been an exhausting day.  I was supposed to be here till 8:30 pm, but the rain looked relentless and we would be doing the tents a disservice by putting them up at this stage, since they were sure to get wet on the inside.  At 5:45, with no sign of the rain stopping, I made a decision to leave.  I was tired and was sure that in this state I would be no good to anyone, especially since we had no idea how long we would have to wait.  So for the first time since I had started volunteering, I left my post before the time was up.  I tried in vain to search for a cab, but eventually got into a bus. And then the rain went away and sun came out!  This made me even more ashamed that I had given up.  The people in that village had come a long way today – literally.  And now they would have to put up tents and faced a prospect of a very wet night.  But their spirits endured and it was no surprise, since it takes a certain character to do things like the ‘Avon Walk’.  I may have had a ‘Super Saturday’, but between the walkers and the kids in the band, there was no question who the real heroes were. 

  

Super Saturday II: Help Out Chicago's Youngest Rockstars! Stars Of Tomorrow Youth Music Festival

Location: Humboldt Park Boathouse

Date: Saturday, June 01, 2013; 10:30 am-1:30 pm

I spent the time between projects at a coffee shop and then took a bus to Humboldt Park.  I was crossing the road to get to the park when I passed by a car with a familiar driver.  I stopped, and got in and only then did Wilson realize that I had joined him in the car.  He had in fact convinced me to come for this One Brick event, when I was supposed to be doing another Chicago Cares project where we were going to the zoo. Now, that would have been awesome as well, but then I read the following description on the One Brick website: “The Intonation Workshop presents the 3rd Annual Stars of Tomorrow Youth Music Fest! This day-long indoor/outdoor musical extravaganza is perfect for the whole family and features a stellar line-up of 15 young pop groups, sets from Future Hits and Psalm One, and lots of great activities for all who attend.”  Well, I was going to get to watch kids in a battle of the bands.  Zoo could wait.

Outside the building

We parked the car and then walked through the park over to the location.  Inside we found that our Event Manager Laura was already there, along with Rich, who is a regular and other volunteers, Tracy, Angie, Jill, Matt and Sonal.  Hannah, the site coordinator came and told us that she had 3 tasks for us: First was at the ‘Style Zone’, which included face painting, temporary tattoos and essentially helping the band members with their rock star styling.  Next was ‘Instrument Petting Zoo’, which was an area where kids could come and play some instruments and finally, ‘Band Hospitality’, which was the backstage ‘green room’, where bands got ready.  The ‘Style Zone’ was right in the room where the bands would be playing and since it involved getting the bands ready, it was the most popular task and was picked by almost everyone.  That left the other two and since I cannot play an instrument to save my life, I picked the ‘green room’, along with Sonal and Rich.

The t-shirt station

Inside the ‘green room’ there were two main tasks.  First there was a snack station where kids could come and get a snack bag and there was a t-shirt counter.  Rich took over at the snack bags station while Sonal and I would be by the t-shirts.  The t-shirts were for the band members with the caveat that they either return them before leaving, or purchase for $5.  Another awkward situation with t-shirts for me to deal with!  There wasn’t much activity at the t-shirt section since the band members were either going to be using their own designs or had already obtained these shirts.  There were some takers for the snack bag, though with the healthy initiative for kids, there was nothing in the bag that I wanted for myself. 

The bands were on a schedule and while one group was performing, the other one was in our ‘green room’.  Their music instructors were with them going over the last minute instructions.  I chatted with one such instructors of a band called ‘Psycosmix’, who was getting his kids pumped up.  I went over and asked the kids who was playing what and learned that they were performing two songs and most of them would be switching roles from one song to another.  Soon it was their time to go on stage and I wished them luck.  Since the traffic was slow, I went outside and joined the rest of our team at the ‘Style Zone’.  I got a small temporary tattoo saying “Pump volume to 11”, though I do not know if the kids would get the significance of that reference.  Wilson was going all out and had got the painting lady to draw a skeleton on the outside of his arm and also got a flaming tattoo followed by a One Brick painting on his other arm. 

The Schedule

I could now watch the performing area and ‘Psycosmix’ was on.  It was fantastic, not because the kids were performing at the highest musical level.  In fact, they were singing and playing out of tune; but were having a great time doing so.  They were completely involved and behaving like true rock stars.  They gave us a great show, and I would much rather be here to see this than at a professional concert.  The rest of our One Brick team was getting the next group ready with their body art and two other girls had managed to get their hands on balloon swords and were mock fighting.  I asked them to ‘knight’ me and bowed down as one of them put the sword over my head and shoulders.  It was a great time for all, the performers as well as the others in attendance.

I kept checking on the t-shirt station and while some actually bought the shirt, there wasn’t much to do there.  I walked over to the ‘Instrument Petting Zoo’, which was in a gymnasium where some kids sized instruments like drums set, guitars and keyboards were set-up for anyone to come and practice.  I went back to my room and Rich was busy cleaning up after the most recent group, who was now performing.  Wilson joined us and we chatted about this project, which is an after school program that allows kids to build confidence and self-esteem.  According to Intonation Music Workshop’s website, “The Intonation Music Workshop empowers children to become rock stars on every stage in life through innovative music education.  Using donated instruments and a unique pop-band curriculum, their after-school and summer music program provides kids age 6-17 in Chicago’s undeserved communities with access to instruction and performance opportunities in a safe and positive environment, sparking for many a life-changing sense of accomplishment and belonging.  Students learn to express themselves musically, at the same time developing essential life skills such as cooperation, practice, risk-taking, and setting and meeting goals.”  It is another heroic way in which the community is being served.

It had been a great event

Soon our time was up and another group came to relieve us.  Wilson was the EC for the event, but considering I was soon to have my own event, asked me to choose a place to go for lunch with the group.  The group was just us, Rich and Tracy.  I found one place nearby and through some faulty directions; we had to walk all the way around the park to reach it.  Tracy, who I had met at another event, asked Wilson and me about Chicago Cares and we learned that Rich was a super volunteer in his own right and ran a youth center for kids whose parents were either absent or showed limited interest; and has been doing so for several years.  We talked about my morning at the Avon project and Wilson was going to drop me at the ‘Wellness Village’ for my afternoon shift. 

As I got into Wilson’s car, I mentioned that my phone was running out of juice, especially since I had been out since very early and to my least surprise, Wilson had an iPhone charged, even though he doesn’t use one.  When asked why he had one, he mentioned something about being prepared for all emergencies.  He asked me how I felt this program compared with ‘CircEsteem’ in terms of building the kids confidence and esteem.  I said that both are invaluable, though I thought today’s program was more special.  ‘CircEsteem’ requires a lot of skill and concentration.  When I saw the performance a few months ago, the kids were "in the zone" and could be mistaken for professionals.  That was great and their self-belief is something that will help the kids in their future life.   On the other hand, the kids performing today were just having fun and not worrying too much if they were in tune or not.  Their confidence was through the roof and there’s something to be said about that spirit.  I had enjoyed myself and wished that the level of energy that they displayed would inspire me to get through my next project. 

Super Saturday I: Avon Walk – Opening Ceremony

Location: Soldier Field

Date: Saturday, June 01, 2013; 4:30-8:00 am

I had heard about ‘Avon Walk’ through a buddy who had done this in New York; and when I saw that Chicago was going to have one as well, I wanted to participate as a volunteer.  This walk, to raise money and awareness for breast cancer, is spread over 39 miles and two days.  I had spent an evening at the offices a few months ago, helping out with the preparations, and had then signed-up for multiple shifts, including one at the Opening Ceremony.  I had also signed up for an afternoon shift at the ‘Wellness Village’, which was the place where the walkers would spend the night after 26 miles of walking on Day 1, as well as the Closing Ceremony on Sunday.  However, I cancelled the Sunday shift due to a One Brick project, but was still supposed to do two shifts this Saturday - separated by another One Brick project.  Now that’s what constitutes a ‘Super Saturday’ in my book. 

Soldier Field: Pre-dawn

I have been to Soldier Field several times over the last month, but never had I arrived there at 4:30 am.  Seriously, if I kept this up, I would be in line for a pass to the ‘Bears’ locker room!  It was still dark, but I spotted some activity going on in the field outside the stadium and after a few inquiries, found my way to the volunteer’s tent.  I checked in with our Volunteer coordinator Devon and while I was doing so, noticed a mom who was trying to get her teenage son allocated to traffic control duties.  The organizers were trying to place him elsewhere, but she insisted that he get that job since his heart was set on it and she had specifically asked for that assignment.  I was amused by all of this, but more on him later. 

The barricades around the stage

The first task Devon allocated me was to work with a group to arrange tables on the green.  These were big and heavy and with the help of a buddy, we got a few set up.  Next, she wanted us to carry some tables to the VIP tent, which was in a different field across the road.  It was a bit of commute, but me and my partner grabbed a table and were on our way.  I learned that my new friends name was Augusta and she and I got along quite well.  After a few huffs and puffs we arrived at the VIP tent and set the table.  This was also the area where the stage was for the opening ceremony and they wanted our help in setting up barricades on either side of the stage in long rows.  The idea was to create an area for people to assemble in front of the stage, while trying to maintain some order.  This appeared to be an easy task since the barricades were quite light and all we had to do was stand them up and open the feet.  We soon realized that it wasn’t that easy since it had rained overnight and the grass was wet, along with the barricades and our hands.  This made opening the legs quite a task and Augusta and I were struggled with a few of the barricades.  It was time consuming and tiring, but we managed to put up all the barricades on our side of the field and were ready to move to our next task.

It was around 6 am and people had started arriving for the walk.  The organizers wanted to keep the roads around the stadium clear and that mean traffic control.  Augusta and I were deployed with other volunteers along the road and told to ensure that cars kept moving and were not stopping to let off passengers.  We were to wave them on and tell them to keep going towards the parking lot that was further down the street.  This wasn’t always easy since many cabs were stopping irrespective of our requests.  However these visitors had not counted on the kid whom I had seen in the morning.  His mom had insisted on him getting the traffic duty and now we saw why.  He was as passionate a volunteer as I have ever witnessed and was terrific in conducting his duties.  He was waving the cars like a real traffic cop and was being forceful and decisive in implementing the law.  Whenever people questioned him, he would point to his bright orange traffic vest and wave them on.  Augusta and I both admired his energy and knew that while he was around, most of the drivers would follow the rules. 

The Opening Ceremony was underway

Well, most did, but it became more difficult to regulate as we got closer to the start and the crowd increased.  Plus, many walkers were crossing the road and when cars stopped to let them pass, people took advantage of this to get out.  At the end of the day, everyone was here to support the cause and have fun and while keeping the traffic moving was important, I wasn’t going to fault people for getting off at the crossing.  However, one guy came and parked his car in the middle of the road and when I went over to ask him to move, he pointed towards his press pass.   I failed to see how him having a press pass would make it convenient for other cars to go through, but there was little I could do if he had decided to abuse his press privileges.  During this time I did come across some friendly people, including a lady who asked Augusta and me where the start line was.  I asked around and pointed it out to her and she said that she wanted to be at the head of the line, so that she could be one of the first to arrive at the ‘Wellness Village’ and get a massage!  Considering it was 26 miles, I thought that she could make up for time, but she had done the walk in the past and I wasn’t going to argue against experience. 

The walkers, ready to go

As I looked around, it truly was a festive occasion and many people had come dressed in brilliant shades of pink or with colorful accessories.  We even saw a guy who rode by on a Harley Davidson and who had decorated his bike like a float to honor the cause.  We also had a front row seat to watch the opening ceremony that was getting underway on the stage in front of us.  It started with the Master-Of-Ceremonies leading the participants through warm-up routine and it was wonderful to see all of them follow the stretching exercises in unison.  Then we heard stories from survivors, some of whom had come a long way to walk.  Everyone gave their reasons for walking and just being a part of this moment had made the early morning wake-up call worthwhile.  The final thing on the opening ceremony agenda was an announcement that the event this year had raised $5.2 Million.  With a huge cheer upon hearing this, the walkers set off on their long trail, though I knew that I would see them in a few hours. 

Augusta and I went and helped with some of the wrap-up routine, including storing the tables which we had arranged earlier that morning.  As we walked back to the train station, we got chatting and I found out that she was from Lithuania and was studying for pre-med.  We talked about our respective volunteering experiences, with her having done this event last year as well.  One of the other things I learned about her was her volunteering work with psychiatric patients, where she goes and sings Acapella, as a form of music therapy.   Now, through my volunteering activities I have come across some remarkable people with some fantastic stories.  But this was one of the most ennobling things that I have heard and I instantly felt privileged to have worked with her today.  Before we said goodbye we both agreed that it would be great if we could actually do the walk the following year, especially since there was a discount for volunteers.  It was 8 am and while many were just waking up this Saturday morning, I was off to find a coffee shop to wait for my next project. 

Dinner At La Casa Norte

Location: Solid Ground Supportive Housing Program

Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2013; 5:45-7:45 pm

La Casa Norte is a service agency that helps youth and families that are faced with homelessness.  It is also located a bit far from my workplace and so I was scrambling to get there on time.  This was compounded by the fact that I could not hail a cab.  I wanted to call Karen, our Volunteer leader and let her know that I was running late, but did not have her cell phone number.  There was only one way to resolve this and so I asked Wilson to provide me with her contact information and sure enough, he sent it to me.  I left a message for her and headed there in a cab, arriving 10 minutes late.  Karen was briefing the rest of the volunteers in a conference room and I noticed Tash and Meredith, from Chicago Cares, as well as two other volunteers – Richard and Catrina.  The first thing I noticed about Karen was her enthusiasm and I always like seeing that in our leaders.

Mmm brownies!

We were inside the residence of the young folk who reside there and went up to the kitchen and dining room.  While Richard and Catrina worked on the meat, which was steak tips, and while Tash and Meredith were going to work on the salad and corn, respectively, Karen asked if I could make the brownies.  Well now, I have had a long career of consuming brownies, but never make them.  I told Karen about that and she said that it was better since I would be doing something for the first time.  She told me to follow the instructions on the box, which included mixing 19.5 Oz of Pillsbury mix with ¼ cup water, ½ cup oil and 2 eggs.  I had to go searching for measuring cups for water and oil, but soon had the ingredients in the bowl.  Next step was mixing through 50 strokes.  Not 49, not 51, but 50 strokes.  Now, I know that baking is an exact science when it comes to measurements, but this was taking it to the extreme!  I kept track in my head and soon had a gooey batter which I spread on a baking pan, which was going into the oven for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.  Encouraged by my success, I proceeded to do another box and once done, added the mix to the existing pan and put it in the oven.  Then I set the timer in my phone for 30 minutes.  Throughout this process, Karen was most encouraging and almost like a cheerleader.

Throughout our cooking sessions, almost all of the residents had assembled in the garden outside and were chatting amongst themselves.  One however was helping Tash with salad, and was doing so with some commendable dedication.  He was chatting with her and asking questions, something I though the other kids should have been doing as well.  One other kid came and sat at the table, eating a big bowl of cereal.  I mentioned that he was going to kill his appetite and his response was that he was 18 and could handle a snack like this before a meal.  Touché!  Since my brownies were still in the oven, I started wiping down the dining table and getting it ready for dinner.  Karen also asked me to drop the corn cobs into the boiling water and periodically watch them as they cooked. 

I chatted with Meredith, who works in ‘Youth In Service’ program of Chicago Cares.  We talked about the program and some of the others.  Karen joined us to promote ‘Hunger Walk’, happening next month and in which I am participating with ‘Breaking Bread Ministries’.  I was periodically checking on the corn as well as the brownies with a fork and it was apparent that they would take some additional time to cook than what was on the box, perhaps owing to the unpredictable temperature inside the oven.  The kitchen also has two big freezers full of chicken nuggets and two big refrigerators full of milk and eggs.  Considering that there are 16 residents in the house, it almost looked like each of them had their own groceries.  I went outside for a brief moment and all the boys were doing their own thing, some listening to music and others chatting.  I felt that some of them could have been inside, participating in the cooking activities.  Having been to ODS, which is a similar shelter, my expectation was that the residents would be engaged and in doing so learn something from the rest of us and our life experiences.  I texted to Wilson about this and said that the impact for this program was minimum without their participation.  

All done

The corn and brownies were finally done and I pulled them out and we took them to the table.  Our duties at that stage were done and it was time to leave. Karen offered to give me a ride to the train station and it gave us a chance to discuss my concerns about the model of this program.  I mentioned that volunteering should not be so that all of us feel good about contributing to the society, but also should be about us making an impact and how can we make an impact if the clients are not involved?  Karen agreed with some of my points and said that while Chicago Cares had suggested some changes to Solid Ground; the organization had pushed back, saying this is what they wanted.  She said that she would communicate my feedback to Chicago Cares and hopefully things will change in the future. 

Later that night, I exchanged more texts with Wilson and he was trying to communicate that the objective of program was for Chicago Cares to go in and take over the cooking responsibilities for one evening so that Solid Ground staff doesn't have to.  So we were serving them, rather than the residents.  I get that point, but why not ‘enhance’ this by adding mentoring.  I mean, we are already here.  Why can’t we get two additional volunteers who can spend time with the youth talking about jobs and careers while the other cook.  Or else get them to participate and teach them self-reliance.  One point I heard is that most of these kids do not have a family, or a mother to cook for them and we are fulfilling that role of treating them to a home cooked meal.  It is an excellent point and a poignant one as well.  But parents don’t just feed the children; they educate and prepare them for the world.  I am sure we could do that as well if given a chance.  

Read –With-Me At HGS

Location: House Of The Good Shepherd

Date: Tuesday, May 28, 2013; 6:20-7:30 pm

It had been a long time since I had been to HGS and I arrived at the location to find our Volunteer leader Michelle, whom I had met at One Brick leadership training, was there along with other volunteers.  Marc, whom I had met at this project before, is a regular and often shows up for this one without signing-up.  Marc has been to almost all Chicago Cares projects and like Wilson, is a volunteer superstar with the organization.  HGS has two ‘Read With Me’ programs on Tuesday’s, one for younger kids and one for slightly older ones, which I was going to participate in.  Our program had excess of people, so one volunteer moved over to help out with the junior program.  The rest of us made our way to the reading room.

Like other children’s programs, HGS has a fabulous play room with bright colors and a welcoming interior.  The kids came in and Michelle asked them to choose a volunteer to pair up with.  Since there were more adults than kids, everyone got picked except me and another volunteer, Janice.  One more kid came and Michelle asked him to close his eyes, turn around and point.  His finger was directed towards Janice, leaving me without a child to read with.  So while the rest of the party retired to side of the room to read, I started helping Michelle prepare for the arts and crafts activity that was to follow - making flying fish from tissue paper.  Michelle wanted me to cut strips of double-sided tape and then string that was going into making of the flying fish.  As Michelle and I worked on the supplies, I pointed out that all the kids were different than he ones I had met during my previous visit.  She mentioned that since HGS was a temporary shelter for women and they had to move out within 2-3 months, meaning the kids left with them. 

The reading seemed to be proceeding well and the kids seemed to be working with their adult partner.  There was an older boy who was reading by himself and Michelle said that he preferred it so; which considering his age, I could understand.  I saw Marc quizzing the kid he was with on something they had read in the book.  Janice and her kid were done with the reading and were about to start their arts and crafts and I went and joined them.  The boy was excited to be making the flying fish and was especially interested in putting the eyes on it.  He wanted them to be blue and so I helped cut out blue circles, trying to achieve some semblance of symmetry.  It was this time that Michelle came and asked if I would mind playing a game with the older kid who had been reading.

It had been a long time

 I walked with him to the games cabinet and he picked a game ‘Sorry’, something which I remembered playing ages ago as a kid myself.  As we opened the board and set the pieces, all the memories of playing this with my dad and with some other friends came back to me.  It has been years, decades, since I had last seen this, but just like a distant image through a mist, I could see myself playing the game all those years ago. The kid explained the rules to me and then we were off.  He was a good strategist and initially had me smoked.  Soon I got hooked and started making some progress with my pieces.  The chase was well and truly on and this is one of those games where fortunes can change all the time.  What seemed like a lost cause was now in my favor and we were neck and neck.  The tension was palpable and it was a game of inches, which he won with my last piece being one step away from glory.  It was a well fought game and we shook hands like men who had earned the other person’s respect. 

While the others wrapped up, we both got an opportunity to chat.  I learned that he was in 6^th grade and liked Math as a subject.  He loved movies and when I asked which types, he said action and comedy.  I asked about his favorite stars and he mentioned people like Stallone and Van Damme.  I said that he was recounting the stars of ‘The Expendables’, a movie which he loved.  He said that he had gone to see the movie with his family, including his 8 year old sister – so much for parental guidance!  I asked him whether she liked any part of the movie and he said that she slept for most of the time, which considering the noise in the film is quite a feat!  For the rest of the time we talked about our favorite action movies and stars such as Bruce Willis and Jason Statham.  As I said goodbye to him, I told him that next time we would play ‘Sorry’ again and that I would beat him.  He seemed eager for me to come back and this means that I had made an unspoken promise to return…something that I hope I am able to keep soon.

Inspiration Cafe

Location: Inspiration Cafe

Date: Sunday, May 26, 2013; 4:00-7:00 pm

I arrived at the location right on time and the person who opened the door was someone whom I had met at the ‘Green Festival’ last weekend and had in fact accompanied him for his Hybrid car test drive.  We chatted about his experience with the car and would have done so for more time, but the cooking had already started and I was required.  The other people in attendance were Noel and Tash, whom I knew, and a married couple as well as our Volunteer leader Mark.  This is one place where you have to contribute a lot towards cooking and I could see that Noel was chopping a lot of cabbage for coleslaw.  I asked Mark for my duties and he requested that I peel potatoes.  Well, you've got to start somewhere!

Somewhere under the water are the peeled potatoes

As I started with the peeling, it was quite apparent that I was no good at it.  Either that or the peeler was bad, as stated by Dave, who was volunteering with his wife.  He joined me in peeling and while I changed to a peeler that was better, he was still way ahead of me in terms of potatoes peeled.  The task did give us time to converse and I learned that both, he and his wife were retired teachers who used to live and work in the suburbs, but had now moved back into the city.  They volunteer with Inspiration Café a lot and come every week, outside of the Chicago Cares project as well.  Between the two of us we peeled all the potatoes and they went into the boiling liquid, while Mark made a dressing for the potato as well as the coleslaw salad.  Soon the potatoes were done, and I worked with Tash in mixing each of the salads, following which we moved them into the refrigerator. 

And now they are a salad

Tonight’s menu was burgers, and Mark wanted us to cook them just before the service at 6 pm.  This gave us some time to chat, and Noel told Tash and me about her leadership training with Chicago Cares.  She is going to be leading my favorite program, ‘Paint The Town Red’, and I cannot think of a better person for that job than her.  Around 5:40 pm, Mark asked us to come back to the kitchen to prep for dinner.  While Tash took over the dining room duties with Dave and his wife, Mark and Noel worked on the plating station.  That meant that I was in charge of flipping burgers.  It was quite simple and all I had to do was take frozen burgers and place them on the griddle and cook.  Mark told me not to press the burgers since that releases the juices and makes them dry.  This was against my instinct to pat the burgers, but I stayed disciplined.  I have seen enough cooking shows to know that to get the best and juiciest burgers one needs to steam them under a cover, but that was not going to happen here where speed was of the essence. 

Cheeseburgers

There were 14 burgers at a time on the griddle and once I was done with one batch, Mark told me to make cheeseburgers next, which meant putting a slice of cheese on top of the burgers as they cooked.  The cheese was frozen as well and removing the slices without breaking them was a challenge.  But things were progressing well and soon we started serving.  Behind me, Mark was assembling the burger as per order while Noel was adding salad to the plate.  While I thought I was done at 6, the cheeseburgers were flying off the serving station, which meant that I had to make some more of those.  One of our guests was a vegetarian and wanted a grilled cheese sandwich instead, at which I took a pan, added oil and tried my best not to burn the sandwich…well the second time at least.  One of the staff members came and added some onions to the griddle since he wanted them caramelized for his cheeseburger.  Hey, the man knows his sandwich!

And the one who made them!

Soon we were done and even the dessert, which was brownies and ice cream, had been served.  I sat down in the kitchen with others and tasted the salad, which was excellent.  Many guests stopped by to offer their praises.  Mark had been a wonderful leader and I had enjoyed working with him and told him that I looked forward to returning.  Before we left, my friend from ‘The Green Festival’ told Noel, Tash and I that we could start our own group to volunteer over here outside of Chicago Cares.  I told Noel to take the initiative, now that she was a trained leader, and I would follow.  We chatted for some time and then I left.  Every parent tells their kids to get a college degree so that they do not end up in a fast food restaurant, flipping burgers for a living.  I had gotten all the degrees I could get, but had done the exact same job this afternoon.  While I had been proud to do so as a volunteer, even otherwise I do not see any shame in this profession.  It is a honest way to make a living and there is something noble about feeding people - whether it is at Inspiration Café or at some gourmet restaurant.  Though I know where I am going to have more fun. 

Tour De Cure At Bike The Drive

Location: Grant Park

Date: Sunday, May 26, 2013; 8:00-11:00 am

Bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle

I want to ride my bike

I want to ride my bicycle

I want to ride it where I like

While Freddie Mercury and the boys may have wanted to ride their bikes, I was only volunteering for this one, where people of Chicago and neighboring areas were having a ride to support finding a cure for diabetes.  I was going be shadowing an EC for this One Brick event and was thus required to arrive earlier.  I walked to Grant Park and as I got closer, I could see a flurry of riders, and just crossing the street was a challenge.  I managed to get across and went over to the volunteer tent where despite their best efforts, they were unable to find my name on the list and then we realized that I was at the wrong tent.  I was supposed to check-in with ‘The American Diabetes Association'.  The send me over to where the ADA was located, which meant another crossing of the street and I finally arrived at their tent.  Through this I realized that while the ride was to find a cure, ADA was not the only diabetes related organization that was benefiting. 

Please share the road with walkers!

Jennifer from ADA assigned me and Tracy, another One Brick volunteer, to the task of handing out t-shirts.  Polly, who was the EM and Kristen, who was the EC, arrived soon thereafter along with the other members of our crew.  Since I was to shadow Kristen, Polly sent us both with pamphlets promoting ADAs another ride on June 9^th out in the suburbs.  Along with the pamphlets there was a coupon that let one save $5 off their registration.  People were winding down from their ride and were relaxing on the green or walking about seeing the other festivities.  Our job was to approach them and while I would hand them the pamphlet and mention the event, Kristen would immediately follow-up with the coupon and inform them about the savings.  While some people took these things, many politely declined, saying that this was the only ride of their year.  It was quite obvious that people did not want to carry anything else with them. 

Kristen and I went back to the ADA tent and this time Polly and Jennifer had a new task for us. The riders had parked in a garage a few blocks west in the loop.  Once the ride was over, they would go back to the garage and someone needed to watch their bikes while they got their cars.  Kristen and I were dispatched to that location and Polly said that she would send a couple of volunteers our way as well.  Kristen and I walked over there and arrived at the building but there was no sign of any booth or signs.  We even went inside the garage where the cars were supposed to be parked, but there was nothing there as well.  We decided to walk around the building and that’s when we saw a tent with a table of some refreshments and to women sitting next to it.  One of them was Courtney, an intern with ADA and the other was Lupe.  Courtney said that she had been at the table since 4:30 am and so far no one had come to avail of the goodies.  Well, goodies really meant water, Gatorade, banana’s, pretzels, bagels, cream cheese, peanut butter and some protein bars.  It wasn’t exactly breakfast at the 'Ritz', but something people would perhaps appreciate after a ride.

I chatted with Courtney who mentioned that she had Type I diabetes and has to wear an Insulin pump and take measurements by pricking her fingers multiple times a day.  I mentioned about my research in graduate school and how we were working towards eliminating this exact problem and the look of hope in her eyes was real.  She said that she was diagnosed at age 13 and it was a rough time in college, not being able to live a normal lifestyle.  To hear that my research could someday lead to some amount of relief for patients was a hope that she could hang on to.  This made me glad that I had come out this morning and that’s why Courtney did not mind being there since before dawn.  According to the description on One Brick opportunity description and ADA website, “The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes.  The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes.  Founded in 1940, their mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.” 

Seeing that there wasn’t much to do and since new volunteers were on their way, Kristen left for the main location and I was soon joined by Leisha and Charles Paul.  This was Leisha’s first One Brick event and I did my EC duty by welcoming her and talking about what we do.  Charles Paul on the other hand did not require much talking to.  In fact, based on what he told me, forget the beer dude; he is ‘The Most Interesting Man In The World’.  Some of the major accomplishments that he mentioned were: Aerospace engine designer for Rolls Royce, had been a back-up Quarter Back for OSU, was training for a marathon at the Arctic circle, frequently travels around the world – in first class of course – can fly a commercial plane as well as fix it, was a child genius at Math and oh, has an IQ of 177.  Well, I guess you meet all sorts at these events!

Bikes that we were supposed to look after

Aside from the fact that none of the above was verified online, I enjoyed chatting with him.  We talked about cars, especially Rolls Royce Phantom.  He told me that I should take a test drive and I said my bank balance wasn’t strong enough to get me a ride.  He said what about pre-owned.  I said not for pre or post-owned!  He asked me what was the most exciting place that I had been to and I asked him to define exciting.  He said something that you couldn't stop talking about and while there isn't one place for me that fits this description, I did mention Acadia National Park.  I asked him about himself and he mentioned driving a Camaro from Miami to Minnesota at 180 mph.  Then he proceeded to tell Courtney what she had for breakfast by studying the soles of her shoes.  I thought it was bit early in the day for that line to work, but at least it was amusing for us. 

The team

The reason why we had so much time on our hands was because no one was coming.  But that was not dissuading Lupe, who was full of energy.  She was yelling at bikers on the road offering them water and Gatorade.  When people did come, she was handing them stuff to eat.  Towards the end we did get a lot of traffic and many left their bikes for us to ‘guard’ while they went for their car.  Lupe was ensuring that they were well fed and when we were almost out of food, she went around personally delivering remainder of the things so that we could pack the table.  It was a bit chilly and at one stage I went to go get some Hot Chocolate for myself and Leisha.  Soon it was time to take down the tent and a guy from ADA came to help us.  I told Lupe that she had been fantastic and wished Charles Paul luck in his adventures.  I joined Polly, Kristen, Tracy and Andrea for lunch at ‘Rudy’s’ and we talked about Charles Paul and the obvious comparison with Wilson!  We chatted for a bit and then after a few pictures I left.  It had been a worthwhile morning, where I had seen firsthand how what we do can benefit those who need it the most.  I may not have an IQ of 177.  In fact, I did not even ride a bike.  But I was glad to have contributed.  

Senior Breakfast Club At Wicker Park

Location: Wicker Park Apartments

Date: Saturday, May 25, 2013; 9:00 am-12:00 pm

It was the long Memorial Day Weekend and I had absolutely no plans of travel or any visitors coming.  Thus I found myself headed to Wicker Park neighborhood this Saturday morning and through some favorable CTA schedules, arrived with a lot of time to spare.  After some coffee from a 7-Eleven, I wished that I had been delayed so that I could have avoided that deplorable drink.  As I came back to the apartments, I saw that the other volunteers had already arrived, including our Volunteer leader Daphne and her daughter.  Besides a couple, the two other volunteers were Ricardo and Rebecca.  Also present was a teenager who had been dropped off by his dad.  Daphne had brought all of the groceries and while a couple of the residents had come to the community room to chat, we still had some time to go before service.

 

The Eggs

The ingredients for the day were eggs, biscuits, bacon, sausages, hash browns and strawberries.  The first order of business was to crack the eggs because, you know, “You can’t make an omelette without cracking the eggs etc. etc.”  There were a lot of eggs, but we cracked them all and Ricardo took over making scrambled eggs.  The sheer volume of eggs and the smaller vessels meant that he would have to do it in multiple batches.  Plus, the cooking area was narrow and so all of us would have to make some adjustments if we were to cook together.  I took the stove-top next to Ricardo and started browning the hash browns.  Also on that crowded cooking top were sausages being steamed and bacon and biscuits in the oven.  If resourcefulness would have been a competition, we would have won the top prize. 

Ricardo seemed to have some skill with the pan and was able to flip the hash browns with a flick of his wrist.  When I complimented him, he mentioned that he was indeed a chef.  I asked what his favorite thing to make was and he mentioned hors d’oeuvres, especially prosciutto wrapped asparagus.  Well, not just a chef, but a gourmet chef!  Besides his skills, Ricardo appeared to be a great guy with a lot of charm, empathy and general zest for life.  He had done some volunteering with One Brick as well and I asked him what had made him take up volunteering.  He said that he had always thought about doing it, but finally decided to “stop talking and just doing it”.  He said that while he liked cooking, he also wanted to develop his office skills.  I asked what he wanted to be doing in 10 years and he replied that he did not want to commit to a plan.  I said that while plans can change every month, there should at least be some idea of the vision. 

And the hash browns

The cooking was proceeding well, albeit in batches and the room was filling up with residents.  We moved the food onto the serving trays and were ready to begin.  As with the other dinner and breakfast projects that I have done, people were required for either serving or running.  The kid who had been dropped by his dad, was very keen on running.  He said that it was like playing soccer; though I hope with less sliding and tackling!  I ran for a bit, but there were more than enough people doing it, and so went over to help Roberto clean dishes.  I scrubbed while he rinsed and dried, much like my job at the other breakfast club project.  It gave us more time to chat and I asked him about his knife skills.  He said that he was learning and getting there.  He saw me take pictures and asked if I was tweeting in real time.  I said I do a blog about all of my volunteer experiences and he said that he prefers to stay behind the scenes.  I said that was good, but the purpose of my blog was more to make people aware of what’s out there and if possible, get them enthused. 

The Worlds Greatest Hot Chocolate

While we had been cleaning, the residents had finished eating and that could only mean one thing – Bingo!  As with many places, you could only win once until the final coverall game.  One of the other volunteers, Rebecca had a lot of energy and was floating from table to table conversing with the residents and cheering them on.  She was taking pictures of the volunteers and asked if she could photograph me.  I said sure, though she mentioned that she would get me when I least expected, which I am sure she did.  I walked about a bit, but everyone seemed like they were focused on the game and so I stood by the side and watched.  Soon we were out of prizes and we had finished this session in record time.  As we left, I asked Roberto about his next project and he said that we would definitely cross paths sometime in the future.  He was headed to a cookout and I was on my way to get the world’s greatest hot chocolate.  It was a long weekend for sure, but this morning’s activity had gone by in a blur.  And we had used every component of the cooking stove at the same time.  How’s that for multitasking! 

Coffee With Polly

Location: Argo Tea

Date: Thursday, May 23, 2013; 6:30-7:30 pm

At my very first One Brick project, I had mentioned to the EM Laura that I would be interested in assuming leadership responsibilities.  Well, now was the opportunity through this recruitment event.  Polly, who is the One Brick Chapter Director for Chicago and who leads the Leadership Training and Recruitment program, was going to meet with a group who had exhibited interest in leading.  She asked us to pick a location, either in the Loop or River North, and through majority it was decided that we would be meeting in the Loop at Argo Tea.  So we would be doing an event called ‘Coffee With Polly’ at ‘Argo Tea’.  Anyone else see the irony here?  Bueller…Bueller!

The One Brick path to glory

There was a Cuban Themed Patio Party in my building, which I had given up to be at this meeting.  So I was hoping that this would be a good investment of my time.  There were about 5 of us besides Polly who had come and as is often the case with One Brick projects, there were a few no shows.  Polly started by thanking us for stepping up and then showed us the structure of One Brick organization.  Being completely volunteer run, it was quite basic where one could choose two paths to eventually be on the 'Chapter Exec Team' if they so wished.  One of the paths was to start off as an ‘Event Coordinator’ or EC and then proceeding to become a ‘Event Manager’ or EM.  The other path was through participating in various Committees and eventually leading them.  The various committees’ roles are: ‘Scheduling Volunteer Events’, where one has to work on the logistics with the requesting organization and then assigning EMs and ECs; ‘Recruitment and Training’, which is what we were currently doing; ‘Finance’, which deals with budget and fundraising; ‘Special Events’, such as organizing Happy Hours and Scavenger Hunts; ‘Funshine’, which helps with events such as EM/EC Appreciation parties and finally, ‘Communication’, which is preparing and sending Newsletter as well as all sorts of Social Media updates.  However, all of us were here to start off as ECs.

The main role of an EC is to assist an EM during a project.  It starts by connecting with the EM as soon as they are assigned, and asking if there is anything that they want.  ECs arrive at the event 30 minutes before other volunteers; carrying attendance sheet and name tags and with a post-event socializing place identified.  This place has to not only accommodate the group, but also be comfortable and cost effective, while offering a wide variety of food and beverage options.  During the event, the EC interacts with volunteers and makes sure they are having fun.  The EC takes a lot of pictures for posting on the website and periodically hands out water to the volunteers, especially for projects which are outdoors.  One of the main skills that an EM or an EC needs, is an ability to delegate, since they are there primarily to facilitate the volunteer experience.  Now, delegation is a very important part of corporate life and I personally would not promote anyone to a managerial role unless they knew how to delegate.  But there is a fine line between delegation and washing your hands off the responsibility completely and I have seen several disinterested looking EM and ECs at One Brick events.  They do not set a good example because people have an inherent need to be led, and leadership by definition is being at the forefront. 

Next, it was time for questions and there were quite a few.  First topic we dealt with was unruly behavior by a volunteer at the site.  Now, this doesn't mean that people get into fights, but rather someone who does not follow instructions about not drinking while on duty, as well as men making women uncomfortable through unwanted attention.  Polly mentioned that this is where EM and ECs would need to step in and ask the volunteer to either refrain or leave.  However, it is not that easy to get anyone completely disbarred from a chapter and would require a process to be followed, which includes written complains and testimonials from other volunteers and the organizers.  I asked what should we do if we see that there is work to be done and someone is not pulling their weight.  Polly replied that it was the EMs job to ensure that everyone has something to do and if not, they could send people home early if people wanted to leave. 

EC in training

Prior to acting as an EC, we would all need to get set-up on the One Brick web system and then ‘shadow’ someone at an event - sounds very sinister doesn't it?  I had already done so with Wilson, but told Polly that I could officially shadow an EC during an upcoming event on Sunday.  Finally, before we left Polly mentioned that people were welcome to participate in the various committees and eventually take ownership.  Surprisingly, all of us had different interests, for example one of the attendees Eric, wanted to do Finance, while another one Michelle, wanted to participate in organizing events.  I said that I would like to do Training and Recruitment, which Polly liked since it could eventually help lessen her responsibility in that area.  Michelle is also a leader at Chicago Cares and in fact used to lead the AIC project prior to Wilson.  She currently leads the ‘Read With Me’ at HGS and I said that I was signed-up to participate next month.  We were careful not to discuss too much since Polly views Chicago Cares as competition, though my views on this thought process have been previously discussed.

We left for the day, but there was one last thing that needed to be done before I could participate as an EC – get trained on the web system.  Polly was going to have group training in June, but since I would be unable to attend that, she offered to train me one-on-one and could do so as early as the next day.  On Friday we exchanged a few texts and since her office was in the loop, I could walk over there after work. Upon arrival we sat in her office’s boardroom and she showed me the way we could access the back-end of the system and not only see events that were not listed on public calendar, but also see people who had signed-up for various projects.  We had been told the previous day to not misuse this information.  For example, she said that if someone found me attractive and wanted to ask me out, they should not go creeping and find my contact information.  Obviously I was not the best example since I really would not have a problem with that!  I saw how I could opt-in for an EC role, and while I could do it as many times as I wanted, Shaun who runs scheduling generally gives everyone an equal opportunity.  Finally, she gave me my very own One Brick clip board and sharpie as well as some name tag labels.  I was ready to be an EC.

Later that weekend I updated my public profile and answered some of the questions that were posted; the idea being that everyone gets to know more about the Event Team through this.  As I completed that, I realized that it had been less than 3 months since I had even heard of One Brick and now my profile was on their website.  While not exactly a meteoric rise, I was certainly proud of how far I had come.  

What’s the Word

Location: Lakeview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

Date: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; 6:30-8:00 pm

I arrived at Lakeview Nursing to find that Noel was already there and chatting with Jim, Larry and Jack.  Knowing Jim’s liking of baseball and his White Sox, I engaged him in conversation, especially since Red Sox were in town.  He was in good spirits since White Sox had already taken the previous 2 games and was excited at the prospect of a clean sweep.  “Speak for yourself”, I replied.  Gwyn arrived soon after followed by Tash and two new volunteers, Nicky and Hannah.  Today we would be starting work on the July/August issue of ‘As We See It’.

Before we began, Larry announced that he had some bad news.  It seems that he had printed 23 copies of previous month’s issue and had kept the stack under a blanket in his room, away from all other trash.  But before he could distribute them, they had disappeared and he was told that they had been discarded with rest of the trash.  He was adamant that he had taken every precaution and was angry at not only the facilities people, but at himself for losing them.  He took full responsibility; though the rest of us tried to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault.  If Larry was angry, Gwyn was absolutely livid.  She said that she had enough of the people managing the Lakeview facilities and that from now on, she would deal with the printing and distribution issue and Larry would not have to do anything.  This was a recurring problem at Lakeview and Gwyn said that the facility was very close to losing this project through Chicago Cares, which would be an absolute shame.  She was clear that this was not a poor reflection on Larry’s ability to do this, but rather she wanted to protect him from such situations where he ends up feeling sorry for himself.  Larry was feeling terrible, but Gwyn said she would handle and he should not worry about a thing. Sensing her mood, Noel and I were looking at each other and at Hannah who must have felt awkward at her first outing.  I joked that it wasn’t always like this and she had to come back!

Now lets all be kind to our Air Conditioner

We could have vented about Lakeview Nursing practices throughout the evening, but there was work to be done.  Gwyn split us into groups and while Tash and Nicky took to their smart phones for research, Hannah was using the computer and Larry and Jim were going to be working with them.  Noel, Jack and I teamed up to do our favorite activity, which was look through ‘Chase’s Calendar Of Events’ to find some trivia for the months of July and August.  No sooner had we started when Jack found that July was the ‘National Bikini Month’.  Well, not that we had to restrict it to one month in a year, but July certainly seemed like the right candidate.  Jack was insisting that we put that in and so Noel made a note of it.  Some of the other days that we selected were July 2nd which is ‘Wish Everyone Forgotten Birthday’s’; ‘Tell An Old Joke Day’, ‘Decorate A Wheelchair Day´- which Noel insisted that Jack follow, and something called a 'Glorious Granny Day’!  Plus there was a ‘Be Kind To Air Conditioner Day’, though I was unsure how we were supposed to do that.  Did it mean we should not turn it on or that we should not play with the dial?  In any case, if the temperature outside was hot, I would be using my AC to its fullest extent, kindness or not! 

Plan 9 From Outer Space

Tash’s research led her to find something about the first UFO sighting in July 1947, where someone spotted an object moving at 1000 miles an hour.  I said that with current UFO technology, I would expect the object to move much faster than that.  Gwyn said that no wonder there were Area 51 trials during that era.  Whether it was true or not, this piece of trivia would make the issue.  Some of the other things they searched for were local events in summer and there was an abundance of street fairs and music festivals.  Gwyn said that this time the restaurant review would be on a place serving root beer and since for the last issue she had bought a pizza from the place reviewed, I told her that she should get the root beer for this one! 

It was almost time to leave and Noel, Jack and I stopped at July 24^th in the book; and since I would be missing the next meeting, I told them to find more funny stuff.  I chatted with Noel and Tash outside and we talked about upcoming projects and how tonight had started roughly with Larry’s story and Gwyn getting angry.  But the reason she was mad was not because Larry had misplaced the copies, but the negligence exhibited by the facility.  All of us get together to put the issue together and have a great time doing it.  But there are several other residents who are not on this committee, but actually look forward to reading the copy.  This may be one of the few highlights of their month and that’s why Gwyn was upset.  “I will go door to door and deliver if I have to”, she had proclaimed.  Knowing her, it’s probably going to happen.  

*All the client's names have been changed in order to respect their privacy