August 7, 2009

One Final Note on Walla-Pa-Looza 2009

One week ago today, the sun was out and we were setting up for what would become one of the biggest thing I ever did in my life (marriage and my boys come first, of course) and I was thinking to myself “Please don’t screw this one up”! I was like a young teenager on a date with the hot girl from class. I was nervous, scared and worried. I knew we had a great group of volunteers but I didn’t want the event to become a big mess and have people remember it because it sucked. I knew the people involved were intelligent, hard working and just great people but I was under the microscope and I felt that needed to do this one right. I say this because I received a bunch of phone calls and e-mails from people I never met thanking me for doing this and explaining their story. Many of them were a mother they had lost, a brother who died way too early and some who themselves had survived cancer. So Craig, get your act together! I told the volunteers to watch how much they drank and try to help people if they seemed lost or confused. Be yourself. As I look back I guess that message was really for me more than anyone else.

The day of the event was incredibly stressful but our volunteers were awesome. Kevin Donlan, Sheryl Mayhew Smith (and her entire family), Mike Betts, Nick Bionda, Robin Hivon, Chad Miller, Ron Bieber, Jonna Bieber, Dave and Mandy Bybee, Mark Olson, Pete Cornwell, Barb Neises and the rest of her family,The Hettermann’s, The Woodstock Infantry, Doug Carlile, Dina and Joe Demonte, Rick and Tari D’Ambrosio, Renee Faciana, Scott Gump, Megan Miller, Tammy Quinn, Shane Sperry, Scott Dullberg, The Hyatts, Andrea Rio, Georgine Konuk, Amy Gohl and of course my cousin Lori, Mom and Dad and most of all my wife. Those were the people that kept this thing together not me. If you see one of them say hi and give them a hug. They deserve it.

Will the event go off with out a hitch? I mean who would show up? Did they see our video messages? The banners? Did we annoy the crap out of everyone on Facebook? I stressed about the rain and cold. I mean give me a break it’s August 1st. It should be 90 and sunny! We should have sold 10000 cups of beer and 500 gallons of water. But, we worked with what god gave us and we did great. It did go off without a hitch!

The Bands: Blush, Peter and The Versatiles, Danny & The Devils and Always Frantic rocked the house. We had music for everyone, the kids had fun and now I can break it down for you this way:

  • 440 slices of Pizza
  • 2000 Cups of Beer (final number)
  • 250 Hot Dogs
  • 166 Walking Tacos
  • 600 Adult Attendees
  • 200 or so Children under 12

Over $15,000 raised.

And one guy that saw a need to party and raise money at the same time!

See you on July 31st, 2010

Thanks.

CW

PS – Joanne I love you!

Our Volunteers

Thank all these people!