Volunteers are a special group of people because they are willing to tackle a thankless job and donate their time to a particular cause.
They are the anonymous behind-the-scenes people who organize events and measure their success by remaining anonymous because the event does not have any hiccups.
We the public will never know the reasons why an event runs like a top instead of sputters and coughs its way to a conclusion.
A flawed event means volunteers will be singled out for their perceived incompetence- and not their actual ability to pull off an unpaid miracle-in view of the obstacles in their way.
The hours of volunteerism are long, and they typically start long before the event at the organizational stage. Volunteers meet early and devise a plan to ensure their event runs smooth as glass.
Volunteers iron out a game plan to counteract every “what-if” scenario that may arise during their event.
There are rarely enough volunteers to cover every potential disaster, so a crew of volunteers usually hopes for the best and rides out the storm with all hands on deck-even when there aren’t enough hands on deck.
MSCC attends many car shows during the course of a summer and we are well aware of the task each group faces when it comes to a successful show.
The volunteers behind a successful car show are involved in every phase of the event. They are the men and women who register the vehicles when their owners attend the show, but few people know the show actually begins many months before the registration process.
There are plenty of meetings where volunteers discuss the process behind a car show. They devote their free time to nailing down the price, scope, and mechanics behind the show. Volunteers take care of every detail behind a show and hope the day in question is not left to the will of the angry weather gods.
A successful show gambles heavily on the weather, but a good show also has a rainy day plan-complete with volunteers.
Food is a big question at a successful show. Some shows have resorted to commercial food trucks while others have an army of volunteers who flip burgers for a day and take no credit for their unpaid tasks slaving over a hot BBQ.
The volunteers are able to smile through the smoke and put in long hours for free at car shows. We know them by their ability to stay friendly, despite the enormous burden of heat and crowds during the car show.
We at MSCC enjoy the camaraderie found at car shows. The car show people are typically community-oriented, outgoing, and friendly by nature, despite the demands of a long day that starts very early at a car show.
Car shows are based on volunteers and we owe a debt of gratitude to them because they are the heart and soul behind every successful show. In short, they are typical volunteers and no event could even take place without them.
So here’s to you, the car show volunteers. No great show takes place without you.
Jim Sutherland
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