by Jason Haggard, MHC member

I am trembling in church as James the Pastor calls down from the pulpit about the collective volunteer effort during the Lake City Pioneer Days. He fervently speaks of the opportunity for all of us to show God’s love to our city and implores each of us to give of our Saturday. The stained glass windows shake with each rise and fall of his voice…

Sorry, wrong flashback.

I was sitting in church and James mentioned how our congregation has volunteered to help with the Lake City Pioneer Days. It sounded fun and then he mentioned that the Chamber of Commerce had a specific need for someone with administrative skills to coordinate the afternoon crew. Knowing I could do it, and there would probably be some benny’s, I asked my wife for “permission”. She acquiesced.

Let me back up. Lake City, that charming stretch of Northeast Seattle, had their 21st annual Pioneer Days on August 2nd, 2008. It was a one day celebration that corresponds with SeaFair and includes a classic car show, food, games and commercial booths, and a salmon bake. It ends with an impressive parade down the main street with bands, Mustangs, cheerleaders, and an eclectic collection of floats. The Lake City Chamber of Commerce hosts the festival and everyone loves it.

As with any event of this nature, it requires a platoon of volunteers and someone to point them in the right direction. This is where Teresa and I come in. Teresa is an old hat. She has been involved in the Lake City community for years. This is not her first time in this position, and I realize that at the first committee meeting when she and the other 8 people are reminiscing of past Days and talking about how much better this year will be. I sit quietly and absorb. In the days leading up I spend my time tracking down the names I have on my signup, giving them times and places to be, calling, re-calling, stressing a bit about a few holes that need to be filled, but generally looking forward to the day.

Saturday morning, there are about 30 volunteers ready to help in short 2 hour shifts. Teresa is there first thing in the morning to coordinate that group; I meander in around 1:00 PM to take the late shift. By the time I get there, things are rolling. Kids are getting their faces painted. Adults are chasing down their kids. Corn dogs, cotton candy, frozen Starbucks Vivanno smoothies (yes, this is Seattle), and much more are being consumed and enjoyed. It is a festival. My first responsibility is to get the lay of the land, Teresa and I jump into the golf cart and head out to meet the volunteers and pin-point their assigned locations.

(Quick side note. The golf cart was both unexpected and God’s graciousness. Only two weeks prior, I was running through Woodland Park, stepped on a root, and rolled my ankle. Chipped bones, black and blue heel, much pain. My plan for the day was to push through regardless, but I know that I would have done a lot less visiting of the far post if the cart hadn’t been there.)

Our main responsibility as volunteers was to direct cars around the festival as it was on the main road into town, answer questions of the pedestrians like, “Are the classic cars gone already?”, and generally keep order in the chaos. All of the volunteers did this superbly. Everyone had the best attitude, even Pastor James when I put him at the furthest post directing the Metro buses around the traffic circle. Everyone showed up on time, it even came to the point that I had more help than I knew what to do with.

The final task of the day was clean-up. We are all one body many parts, and the part of Christ’s body known as Mars Hill Lake City seems to be the hand holding a garbage bag. Clean-up is a dirty job, but somebody has to do it. And we do it with gusto. After everyone has left, and left their cups, half eaten dogs, flyers, and all other sorts of refuse, we come in and make the streets look like they should.

Many much kudos goes out to Lenny, Scotty J, James and Kathryn, Alicia, and David for bringing up the rear and really being the humility of Christ.

It was a great day. In the days after, the Chamber has said thank you more than once. They look at all of us and think we are great, but I know that without Christ, I wouldn’t have even thought of serving. Next time we will do the same, with the same attitude, same heart. Jesus is revealed in a quite voice and clean streets, God gets His glory one way and another.

And by the way, there were some benny’s. The salmon bake dinner was great and I did squeeze in a back rub at the chiropractic booth.