Last year was the first time that I was involved as a volunteer to help organize "A Main Street Christmas" from the beginning to the end. It starts with our first
meeting in January and today, the day of the event, is We had many meetings of the Schomberg Village
Association where tasks were assigned - organizing
the Santa Claus Parade, advertising, booking Santa
Claus and his photographer, entertainers, coordinating
food vendors and all the required permits, setting up
the community hall for the craft show and children’s
craft area, and the Christmas tree lighting ceremony
the week before. There was also a long list of operational
issues like road closing, signage, fire barrels,
volunteers for the gates, the shuttle bus, making sure Now it is the morning of AMSC 2008 and in the
community centre volunteers are gathering to get
instructions on what to do. This is going to be the At lunch time I get the go ahead to make the stage
on Main Street look like a Christmas wonderland.
Luckily I get to borrow items from local stores to help When finished, I walk back to the command post to get instructions on what to do next and there are people working all over the street. Now I can see how it all comes together. It is almost time for the Santa Claus Parade so I go home to change in to my Victorian costume and pick up “the Grinch”. We return to find the parade coordinator directing everybody to the right spot before the long line of floats, bands, vehicles and people start moving down Main Street. I am with a group of people in historical costumes and we give out candy to the children standing on the side of the road. It is fun and exiting to walk in this group - I have a beautiful view with the lights and the people standing on the side of the road. After the parade I walk the street again, this time with Scrooge on my side (see picture) and he is really mean to everybody in his way just like he is supposed to be. I can't stop laughing. The Grinch is running around, scaring all the kids too. Back at the community hall it is really busy with the children crafts and craft show. I try some of the wonderful soup which is given to volunteers and check out the Santa House. The jolly man is there and children are sitting on his lap and having their pictures taken for free. Our Commander, who I think has not stopped all day, receives a call from the South Gate - people are slipping on the ice on the road so there she goes to take care of that. But what can be done on a Saturday night at 6:30 pm? Fifteen minutes later the road is sanded - how did this happen? I am speechless! The day finishes with the spectacular Farmer’s
Parade of Lights and I return to the stage to help take
everything down. So many people are dismantling Now we can gather for something to eat and drink and as we discuss the day’s happenings, I fall in a chair totally exhausted but with a big smile on my face - what a day, how much fun was that - and everything went well. At almost midnight we are finally finished and I try to count how many people we had to help us. Nobody can really come up with a number and we stop as we reach 200, but we know that includes many community groups, church organizations and of course the farmers. An amazing day is over and the planning for 2009 can begin. At this point I hope all you volunteers out there who helped in one way or another last year will be there again this year and I would like to thank you all. I hope you had as much fun as I did and maybe one day I will know you by name! If you would like to join us by volunteering please let us know. So now we, the members of the Schomberg Village Association, would like to invite you to come out and enjoy the event this year on Saturday, December 5th, 2009. It is going to be even better this year, I promise. See you there! |
Scrooge and Silvia
Humber River Shakespeare |
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