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

Serve-A-Thon Fundraiser

Location: Revolution Brewery

Date: Monday, May 20, 2013; 6:00-8:00 pm

Primary Volunteer Leaders play a critical role at Serve-a-thon, managing a team of Volunteer Leaders at schools, parks, and agencies who in turn oversee groups of volunteers ranging from 30 up to 250 people.  Fostering teamwork, ensuring a successful project and managing supplies are only a few of their responsibilities.  So why become a Primary Leader? We asked a new member of the Serve-a-thon leader team for his story!  Ritesh Tipnis became a Chicago Cares Volunteer Leader this past January, after clocking in more than 150 hours at our volunteer events.  This will be his first year serving as a Primary Leader for Serve-a-thon, where he will be managing a team of three leaders and 40 volunteers at Mary Hartwell Apartments on Saturday, June 15.

Thus began the introduction to my interview that was published on the Chicago Cares website.  My involvement with Serve-A-Thon started when Rich, from Chicago Cares, recommended me as a Primary Leader.  What followed was me accepting, followed by Chicago Cares not being sure if there was a site for me, to me finally getting Mary Hartwell Apartments as a site.  I had already started recruiting for my team and with a month to go, Rich asked me if I would interview for the Chicago Cares blog, something for which I immediately said yes. 

Ritesh, how long have you been involved with Chicago Cares? What was your first experience as a volunteer?

I have been volunteering with Chicago Cares since September 2012. The very first project that I attended was ‘What’s The Word’ at Lakeview Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. I can still recall how apprehensive I was that evening, as I first walked in, not sure if I would be up to the task. But as the evening progressed, I realized that it was one of the most enjoyable things I had done since moving to Chicago. I owe that to the Chicago Cares Volunteer Leader and the residents who participate in this activity. They welcomed me in their circle and made sure I was involved. I have served more than 150 hours with Chicago Cares since then, but it remains one of my favorite programs and I suspect it always will.

Chicago Cares Cookie

In order to raise money for Serve-A-Thon, Chicago Cares had organized a fund raiser at Revolution Breweries and I had purchased a ticket for that.  I arrived there to find some familiar faces from Chicago Cares staff as well as volunteers.  I found Wendy and we chatted about projects and she went around introducing me to other staff members as well as her husband who was in attendance.  I also saw Pete, with whom I had done projects at Henderson Elementary and who was also going to be a Volunteer Leader at Serve-A-Thon.

Moving from the role of a Volunteer to a Volunteer Leader represents a change; what was the transition like for you?

Seamless. I have been fortunate to serve alongside some outstanding Leaders who not only make the project enjoyable for the clients, but also for the volunteers. At the same time, they educate the volunteers about the need and the clients. I have learned a lot by just observing and my respect for them keeps growing.  When I see someone like Leader Wilson Chow do what he does, it not only inspires, but energizes me. I have tried to use all of this knowledge to function as a better Leader.  I have always believed that one does not have to hold a title to be a Leader. Anyone can lead and everyone should. Leadership is by example, and in all of my projects, I have tried to ensure that the clients as well as my fellow volunteers have fun. It is a similar philosophy to when you actually carry the title of a Volunteer Leader.

Amidst the food beer and socializing, one of the main goals of the evening was communicating to everyone present was Serve-A-Thon was all about.  It was re-emphasized to us how it is the largest single day of community service in Chicago and thousands of volunteers come together to transform the city and its neighborhoods.  As a Volunteer Leader, it was a huge responsibility to ensure that all activities were being done in a timely fashion and everyone, the community being served, as well as the corporate volunteers, were being treated with respect.  As Primary Leader, these responsibilities were even more magnified for me. 

What are some of the most challenging aspects of being a leader?

As a Leader you are representing the clients, the fellow volunteers, and also Chicago Cares. It is a huge responsibility to ensure that you succeed on each front.

Besides the entry fee, there were a couple of other ways through which Chicago Cares was trying to raise money this evening.  One was through sale of cookies shaped like the hearts of Chicago Cares and the other was by charging people to participate in a game to guess how many gallons of paint would be used at Serve-A-Thon this year. And while I did both, I failed miserably at one of these. 

So, do you think you will be able to apply your Chicago Cares leadership experience to other aspects of your life?

Why just leadership? I know that I am applying my Chicago Cares volunteering experience in other aspects of my life. Even though it may sound cliché, this experience has made me a better person. It has enhanced my sense of empathy, patience, and understanding. It has enabled me to explore skills I never knew I had. It has filled my life with wonder and truly made me believe in miracles. But most importantly, it has shown me how precious life is, not just your own, but others as well.

I saw Rich and thanked him for the opportunity to not only lead, but also for selecting me as an interview subject.  He teased me for not being punctual with my blogs, which is probably justified considering I am more than a month and a half behind.  But he also was quick to commend me in front of everyone for being an active supporter of Chicago Cares. 

What advice or tips would you give to someone who is considering being a Chicago Cares Volunteer Leader?

I would start by reminding them that just as volunteering is not an obligation; it is also not a right. It is a privilege. No matter how many projects they may end up leading during their time with Chicago Cares, they should never lose sight of this fact. Our clients trust us and we owe it to them to give them and the project our 100 percent. A Leader has to not only ensure that for themselves, but also for the team of volunteers. The best way to do that is leading by example.

I took a cab home and chatted with the driver, who was an immigrant - as are most cab drivers in Chicago.  I asked if he had family overseas and he said yes.  I asked when was the last time he had visited them and he couldn't even remember.  I said that it must be tough for them with him not being able to visit and he said, “At least I am able to send money home.  That’s all that matters”.  On June 15^th thousands of volunteers will be all over the city, helping make a difference.  But there's still some time before that.  There is still time to show the people that someone still cares. While one day celebration of service is a great way to promote the cause, making a difference is a full time job.  And while everyone will be going the extra mile for someone; I will be doing so for people like this cab driver who deserves more from life than just an acknowledgement of a paycheck. 

What are you excited about for Serve-a-thon this year?

I am excited for the project I am doing tonight; Serve-a-thon is still weeks away! But jokes aside, Serve-a-thon is our flagship event and to be a part of it is one of the highlights of my year. June 15 can’t come soon enough.

Green Festival

Location: Navy Pier

Date: Sunday, May 19, 2013; 1:00-4:30 pm

I had somehow managed to get myself on the mailing list of a group that was involved in the organization of ‘Chicago Green Festival’.  A two-day event at Navy Pier, this was a celebration of all things eco-friendly and organic; including vegetarian and vegan food, eco-fashion exhibits, organic wine and beer garden and something called ‘Green Cinema’.  Furthermore, there was going to be a marketplace with products and services from local and national green and sustainable businesses and organizations.  A woman named Elsa was sending all the emails and I wrote to her exhibiting my interest in volunteering.  Elsa is one of the most enthusiastic people I have encountered and not only did she send me information on how I could participate, she was most encouraging and even invited me to attend some of their planning meetings, complete with vegan food!  The timing and location did not permit me to attend the meetings, but I did go online and sign-up for one of the sessions of this two-day event.  There were multiple roles that I could do, including a ‘Green Team’ member to manage the waste.  Having done that once before, I rather decided to nominate myself as a ‘Miscellaneous Helper’, meaning they would assign me wherever the need was the most. 

My cash register

Elsa was sending daily emails counting down to the festival, and I must say that her enthusiasm was more infectious than irritating.  After my morning’s event, I returned home and I was looking forward to going for the festival in the afternoon.  Irina was coming as well and we arrived at Navy Pier a little after 1 pm.  I had been to Navy Pier several times, both when I used to visit Chicago as a tourist, and now as a resident for movies and shows.  However, I had never attended any of the exhibitions that are always on in their big halls.  We made our way to the volunteer check-in outside the exhibit hall and while Irina would be helping out at the ‘Green Car’ station, I would be at registration, more specifically at the cash register.  Back in Pittsburgh, I used to volunteer at ‘Ten Thousand Villages’ store and my role there was at the cash register.  But it was a long time ago and I mentioned to Allen, my supervisor, that I would need a crash course.  He said not to worry and watch the girl who was currently operating one of the registers.  All one had to do was enter the amount in the register, click a button to open it and make the payment transaction.  We also had to check against a form to indicate type of payment and the put a wristband on the customers, which was also their ticket.  But there was a twist to all of this.

The wristbands

Allen told me that more than 90% of the visitors were coming in for free or through donations of cans of food.  You could either produce one of the free visitor passes that were being handed out by various establishments throughout Navy Pier and also in the city; or else you could bring 3 cans of food as donation, and gain entry for the day.  He told me that since many people were going through these routes, I should make “most of the paying customers”, by not encouraging them to seek out a free pass.  Now, this did not mean Allen was a heartless person, on the contrary he was quite nice, but these events cost money and gate receipts, however minimal, would help.  I asked Allen how they were breaking even and he said that most of the costs were covered by vendors, though there was still other expense in hosting a festival such as this. 

I started by observing the girl at the register and very soon got the hang of it.  I was then serving the visitors and sure enough, only 5% were actually paying the full entry fee of $15.  I also learned how to do the credit card transaction, though that was required only once the entire time that I was there.  In fact, I was surprised that some people were actually paying to get in, when almost everyone was either producing a coupon or had brought cans for donation.  I mentioned to Allen that they could make more money by doing away with free entry and instead dropping the ticket prices down to $1.  There was no doubt in my mind that not only would people pay that nominal fee to enter, it may even attract a bigger crowd.  I was trying to do my best to mark-off the form accurately to depict method of payment, or non-payment, but it really was nothing more than a survey.  One of my biggest challenges was ensuring the wristband was put on in a proper manner, for it does take some practice to ensure that the overlap is seamless.  In any case, I was doing a decent job and people visiting were friendly enough to not care if I was shoddy.  The wristbands were only for adults and two little boys insisted that I give them bands similar to their parents.  I confirmed that the bands did not entitle anyone to alcoholic beverages and since they did not, I put one on each of them and said, “You are both adults now”, which amused their parents and everyone else around.  While I was feeling good about my role, it did shame me at one stage when two very old ladies came and we charged them the senior price of admission.  I had seen enough people walk in through the doors for free and I personally felt that these two should have been given the same privilege, but Allen’s words on how we had to get what we could were still ringing in my ears and I am sure that he did not make these rules.

The exhibition floor

Around 4 pm, Allen said that since there was only an hour left to go, we should just shut down the box-office and let people in.  This suited me since I wanted to explore the floor.  I thanked Allen and he gave me a bear hug.  He really was a nice guy and I told him that I would very much like to meet Elsa and thank her as well.  He said he would track her down and I went inside to walk around.  It was a busy floor with vendors sampling organic food and eco-friendly products.  Ford was exhibiting their Hybrid car and also letting people do a test drive.  This is where Irina was, and her job was to take people down to the parking area where Ford would ask the visitors for their choice of vehicle to test drive and then they could actually do it on a test circuit.  I told her that I could help out with a few people and I took down my first customer soon.  I chatted with him on the way down and he was as enthusiastic as anyone for this test drive.  Talking with him it was apparent that buying a new car was probably beyond his means, and this was probably his only chance at this time to drive a car such as this.  To their credit, Ford was not discriminating on who gets to drive and welcomed everyone with the same respect and courtesy. 

With the hybrid car

On my way up I heard Allen call out for me and said that he had managed to track down Elsa and introduced me to her.  I told her how invigorating her emails were and she actually had tears in her eyes.  She said that it was rare for someone to compliment her enthusiasm and it meant a lot.  Like Allen, she hugged me as well and I realized how fortunate I had been to be able to come and help out these people and at this event.  Everyone involved had been great, the organizers, the visitors and the vendors.  There was a very different energy to the entire place, a very calming one.  Plus, everyone was enjoying themselves, even the two old ladies who had bought tickets were actively engaged in discussions with one vendor when I saw them inside.  Having seen some of the organizers, something told me that there was a lot of trust between the people here - why, I was operating the cash register without having undergone a background check as with some other events.  Perhaps it takes a certain type of character to advocate an environmental cause, and while I may not strictly follow all of their beliefs, my life could certainly do with meeting more people like Allen and Elsa.  

Move for the Kids: Benefitting Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital Of Chicago

Location: Soldier Field

Date: Sunday, May 19, 2013; 6:30-9:30 am

This time I was outside the stadium

For a second day in a row, I found myself waking in the wee hours of the morning and being in a cab headed to Soldier Field.  Once again, I arrived there just as first light of morning was upon us and I texted to a buddy “Let’s see the Bear’s do that!”  The main difference between yesterday’s event and this morning was that we would be outside the stadium rather than on the main playing field.  A flurry of set-up activity was going on as I checked in at the Volunteer tent and was directed towards my first assignment.  One of the leaders, Seth, needed to get boxes of vests and t-shirts stored outside, at the back of the tent, brought inside and looking at the huge pile, it would take a few turns. 

The shirt boxes

A few other souls joined us and we brought most of the boxes in.  Following this, I went over to my main job this morning, which was in the pre-registration tent.  Today’s event was a 5K Walk and Run which meant that we would be getting participants who were either walking or running and there was only one tent to serve both categories.  We had a setup where some of the volunteers were sitting up front with laptop computers to check the list.  The participants would come in, give their last name and based on the code in the computer, their bib number would show up.  The people on the computer would then turn around and tell the people working the back of the tent – like me – the number and we would pull the bib from the appropriate box.  The boxes were arranged according to bib numbers with up to 1000, 1000-2000, 2000-3000, 3000-4000 and then one for teams.  The runner’s bibs, which had a chip in them to measure time, were up to 2000 and then on it were walkers.  Three women, Emma, Mave and Jessica took to the computers, while I, Stephanie and 2 other volunteers were responsible for pulling the bibs based on their instructions. 

The bib filing system

Initially the process was a bit chaotic, with bib number requests coming in and the people pulling the bibs not knowing who should be getting what.  Then we figured out a system, where one bib puller would work with one caller.  That way we would have teams of two who could work efficiently in satisfying the requests.  I started working with Emma but over the course of the morning, had an opportunity to work with other partners as well.  This system was working very well and I was having a good time.  The interesting thing was that for some walkers we did not find the right bibs and since they were not timed anyways, gave them a separate walking bib.  I pointed out the obvious fallacy in the process wherein there was no need to have a pre-assigned bib for walkers anyways and we could have just handed them numbers as they came in.  Well, you learn with experience!

The number callers were most polite and would say “Please”, while requesting a bib and “Thank You”, once they got it.  They did it without fail, no matter how many times they made the request.  One team came in with 10 members in it and as the team captain collected the bibs, she said she had raised the most money amongst all of them and hence was the captain.  Nothing wrong with leading from the front I say!  She then took the entire package of bibs, hoping that the team would come looking for her.  Another gentleman came in wearing a Chicago Cares Volunteer Leader shirt and I asked him about the projects that he had led.  The process was very smooth and the lines were moving rapidly and of all the walk/run events that I have done this year, this was by far my best experience.  Plus the organizers and my fellow volunteers were nicer; and unlike some of the other events, everyone got a t-shirt, irrespective of them raising money or not. 

The band to welcome the runners home

Today’s event was to benefit ‘Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago’, a magnificent facility that I often pass by on my way home.  According to their website, “The research arm is devoted to the understanding, prevention and investigation of pediatric illnesses and injuries. It has been designated a Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine research center for its central role in the university’s integrated research program.  Established in 1986, our pediatric research center has over 200 investigators, 500 staff members and 100 trainees who contribute to six growing programs in basic research and translational medicine at the research facility. We also have interdisciplinary centers of excellence that target specific child health issues and complement our core programs.”  Some of the other impressive statistics inform us that in 2012, Lurie cared for more children than any other pediatric hospital or system in Illinois, with children coming in from 49 states and 34 countries. 

Everyone needed water after this

Once the walk began, the people weren't coming in as much and we were running out of bibs as well.  We were done soon thereafter and I gave everyone a high-five on job well done and proceeded to the finish line to cheer the runners who were about to finish.  As I went there, I saw that not only were there people who were clapping; there was a band that swung into action when a runner approached, and several cheerleaders waving pompoms.  They certainly did not need me there, but rather at the water station.  Runners were coming in thick and fast and all were looking for water.  I grabbed a handful of bottles and started handing them off to grateful participants.  Once the bottles were over, I helped fill out cups and even made a trip to the other side of the site to get some more bottles.  I did that for some time and then seeing that there were other volunteers, left for home and a brief rest before my next project.  I had been exhausted earlier this morning, especially after my previous day’s activities.  But the overall experience had been invigorating and people had been friendly.  The hospital’s website also states that, besides funding from philanthropic sources, one thing the hospital relies on heavily is help from volunteers.  In 2012, more than 1,200 volunteers gave 62,000 hours of their time for play activities, respite to parents and other services.  Compared with that, our role this morning had been insignificant.  But as Dr. King teaches us, even though our tasks may have been small, we had done them in a great way.  

Wish Ball 2013 – Part 2

Location: UIC Forum

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013; 4:30 pm-12:30 am

To say that I was looking forward to this would be an understatement.  Not only would I get to witness Make-A-Wish Foundations impact, I was also going to have an opportunity to wear my new Black suit and tie, specially ordered for this evening!  In fact, I was leveraging the suit to get additional responsibilities during the event and it worked.  Julie wrote to me a couple of days prior that she had an additional role of me and on the morning of, she informed that I would be participating in a Skit that evening – ‘Adventures of Beetle Boy’ - , playing a Security guard who escorts the villain off-stage.  Besides the suit she asked me to get my dark sunglasses to truly appear ‘official’ and important.  From a coat-check guy to being in the skit, the suit had paid off already!

The room was magically transformed

I arrived at UIC and went up to the Volunteer break room to check-in.  I saw Michelle there and we discussed what to expect this evening.  I spotted Julie and she took me to meet Jessica, who would be explaining my role in the skit.  I was asked to report to the stage area around 7:30 pm, just when the skit was about to begin.  Towards the end the ‘Beetle Boy’ would defeat the bad guy and would be carried off on top of the shoulders of his fans.  This would leave the villain on stage, and me and another volunteer would don our glasses, walk up to the villain and taking an arm each, lead him off.  Sounded simple enough and all I had to do were ensure that I did not trip.  That would not look cool at all. 

The attention to detail was spectacular

One of the most impressive sights of the evening was seeing the place being magically transformed into a grand ballroom – a far cry from the empty court of the previous week.  They had done an outstanding job of decorating the place and every attention to detail was fabulous, including the lovely glass centerpieces and even the chairs looked fantastic.  All the splendor was truly befitting the occasion.  Since there was plenty of time before my first task, I could mingle and help out as required.  There were 6 ‘Wish Kids’ who had been invited for the ball and each of them were paired with one ‘Wish Ambassador’.  As soon as the kid came in with their family, the ambassador was supposed to put a ‘superhero cape’ on them – consistent with the theme of the evening – and then they were to be together for the initial part of the evening, trying to sell raffle tickets to raise money.  One of the kids was collecting his share of raffle tickets and he had a big smile on his face.  I joked with him that perhaps looking a bit sad that no one was buying from him would be a better strategy – something that he agreed with wholeheartedly!

Silent auction goodies

Michelle and another volunteer, Stephanie, were stationed at the Silent Auction table and since I had time, I joined them to help out.  Our job was to answer any questions that the bidders may have, specifically regarding the bidding process.  Everything was quite sophisticated, with bidding process through your smart phone, or in absence of one, an iPod touch had been provided to the guests. Even I as a volunteer was allowed to bid and had been given my own bidder number.  I was using that as an example to show people the process and how to track the current bid on an item that they were interested in.  All this time, my constant fear was clicking the bid button by mistake, which would put my hat in a very expensive ring. 

The people were ready for a grand evening

The space available to display the goods was limited and one of the artists wasn’t too happy in the way their piece was positioned.  I tried to help Stephanie re-position it and despite our best efforts, the person was still dissatisfied.  But this was a rarity, for most of the people we spoke with were extremely friendly.  I discussed the benefits of bidding on an iPad vs. iPad mini with one gentleman, who wanted to get it for his daughter.  There was a big box of ‘Vosges Haut’ chocolates and I told him to bid on that instead.  He said that he may, though his daughter was into health food.  I said that I do not know many kids that would say no to chocolate, health conscious or otherwise!  I met a lady, Karen, who wanted to bid on ‘Martin Short Show’ in St. Charles.  I had no idea where the place was and saw that it was close to St. Louis, where she was visiting for a baseball game.  While I showed her how to track the bids, I realized that besides baseball, she and her husband loved travelling.  This led to us having a long conversation about the ‘Red Sox’ and ‘Fenway Park’ and travelling in New England in places such as ‘Acadia National Park’ and ‘Bar Harbor’ and the other New England experiences such as ‘Kancamagus Highway’ and Newport beach.  We kept checking her bid and till the time I had to leave for my skit, she was in the lead.

Their dessert course

I went to the stage and met Matt, my fellow security guard in the skit.  ‘CircEsteem’, whose show I had seen on a One Brick project, was performing and they were also a part of the skit.  Matt and I discussed who would take which arm of the bad guy and as we waited for our cue, I learned that Matt’s brother had been a ‘Wish Kid’ and thus Matt had joined as a ‘Wish Granter’.  Soon the ‘Beatle Boy’ defeated the villain and was carried off stage by his fans.  Matt and I wore our glasses, stuck up our most official pose and walked on to the stage.  I had not performed on stage in front of a crowd since I was 7 and while this wasn’t exactly Brando as ‘Terry Malloy’, I thought that I did a decent job of escorting the bad guy off-stage.  Once on the other side, I gave him a high-five and since our job there was done, Matt and I could head back.  Well, the problem was that we could either go through the dining area where the guests were, or through the kitchen where food was in the final stages of its preparation for the dinner service.  We chose the latter and so we trekked through a long corridor of trays and at one point I saw a line of desserts and as is usually the case with me, I had to stop for a picture!

While the guests were being treated to the spread I had seen, our dinner was up in the volunteer break room and comprised of either pizza or sandwiches.  After a quick bite to eat, I came down with Michelle and we took a few pictures together in the grand ballroom.  In the meanwhile the evening’s agenda was moving forward and next was the thing that I most wanted to see – a ‘Mission Speech’ by a ‘Wish Family’ and at the end of which we all were certain of our commitment to this organization.  A couple, Melinda and Mike, talked about their son, Alex’s wish which was, “I wish to meet Steve Carell and visit the set at the Office.”

A standing ovation

Alex was a big fan of the show and specifically of Steve Carell’s ‘Michael Scott’ character.  Despite being diagnosed with cancer, he did not lose his spirit and through all the treatments, kept following the show.  When MAW approved Alex as a‘Wish kid’, he had no hesitation in selecting this wish.  MAW informed Steve Carell and he was more than enthusiastic above having Alex and the family visit.  They tried scheduling but due to Alex’s treatment and other issues, the visit kept getting pushed back.  Eventually Alex got too weak and lost his battle.  Steve and his wife Nancy had become close to Melinda and were devastated on hearing this news.  Usually MAW’s role is over when something like this happens, but no one was willing to let go, especially Steve and Nancy.  They flew out the rest of the family, including Alex’s brother and friends out to the set and treated them to an experience just as if Alex would have been there.  Since then Steve and Nancy have stayed in touch with Melinda and tonight, to everyone’s surprise, we saw a personal video message from Steve and Nancy for everyone in the room, complete with them wearing the MAW superhero shirts, based on tonight’s theme.  Melinda is now a ‘Wish Granter’ herself and as she and Mike finished their story, there was a long standing ovation which I suspect for not just for them, but Steve and Nancy, and Alex, and Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the people in the room – guests and volunteers alike.  All of us were in this together.

This is what I was guarding

It was time for me to perform my original duty as a coat-check person and I went outside to relieve the earlier attendant.  She told me that we had a grand total of 3 coats and 1 bag, but that still meant that someone had to pay attention.  I had joked with Julie that for next year’s Ball I wanted to be a ‘Wish Ambassador’ and that I would send her an email every day till I got that post.  As I sat in the chair outside the coat closet, I sent her the first of those emails, saying let’s see if anyone can beat that!  Nobody was leaving yet, so I could wander into the ballroom and see what was going on.  Martin Short, who was the celebrity guest and who was going to have a performance later on, had come out to help with the live auction.  He was working the room, walking through the crow, trying to get people to bid higher and it looked like he was succeeding.  While this was all good, my attention was diverted to something at the back of the room.  Walking closer I saw that it was exactly what I had suspected – a dessert station!  I must admit I have a huge affinity for desserts and could have stayed there all evening, but my duty was by the coat-check.  I went back to wait and seeing that I was already there, Julie put me in charge of collecting the ‘bid devices’, the iPod Touch that had been given to people who had chosen not to use their smart phone to bid.  I mean, these guys had paid a great deal of money to be here, so it was unlikely that they did not have a smart phone.  So I stood there waving the device to people who were leaving and pointing to the bin where they were to deposit it.  The funny thing was that some people thought that I had found a lost smart phone and was waving it to get their attention and so it became a common sight for everyone to check their pockets to see if they still had theirs. Folks had also been given wristbands with LEDs to signify that they had made a pledge or bought a raffle ticket and they were allowed to keep those.  However it did not prevent some folks from asking me if they were allowed to leave with those fancy looking bands and I responded we will know if it doesn't buzz once you get outside – like a dog collar! 

It had been a privilege

The evening festivities were almost over and so was my time at the coat-check station.  I went to the back room to see Michelle, Stephanie and others wrap-up their post-auction duties and we took some more pictures.  Then it was time to go back and party since the bar was open and the DJ was in attendance.  The party was indeed in full swing, though I was exhausted.  It was past midnight and I had been up since pre-dawn to go to Soldier Field very early – a place I would be visiting again in a few short hours.  I told Julie that I was leaving and thanked her for letting me be a part of this evening.  ‘Wish Ball 2013’ had lived up to be everything that I thought it would be.  It had been a privilege to be invited and work with great volunteers, be a part of a skit and more importantly listen to Mike and Melinda’s speech.  It would have been okay even if all I had done was sit by the coat-check room, but to experience this evening was just amazing.  I had started by telling Julie that I wanted to get maximum mileage off my suit.  Based on everything, it felt as if I had been to the moon and back.