3M Family Picnic

August 9, 2008



Altho’ the title of the blog is Earlene Travels, this episode took place right here in Bwd. I did, however, travel to the far side of our little town.

On Friday, I was requested to help others from Good Samaritan Ministries with a service project (for cash). We were being asked to serve food and drink at the 3M club family picnic Saturday from 9-3. I told Angelia I would help out and wondered just what we would be serving and to whom.

When I arrived at the “party building” at the 3M complex, it was already buzzing w/ folks pitching horseshoes, milling around and getting preparations made to serve a brisket dinner. I was assigned to the Dr. Pepper trailer outside of the building to serve those folks who were playing games outside. We got ice and cups and everything was hooked up to large canisters of soda. The available options were Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper, Red Creme Soda and RC cola. (Many folks asked for bottled water, but there was none available). The refreshments were free to whoever wanted them, so I didn’t have to concern myself with collecting or counting money.

Lots of activities were available for families with children. It seemed that each hour a new activity began. There were prizes and medals for winners. Even the food was a part of the competition. 3M workers signed up for the brisket cook-off contest, the dessert contest (more about this later) and other food categories.

About 9:30 or so, one of the 3M “folk in charge” came by to ask me to be a dessert judge. As tempting as the idea was, I had to decline. I am trying to be really “good” these days by staying away from excess sugar and this project would have derailed the good intentions completely. I did look at the desserts later, and several looked like winners.

One of the more “colorful” cooks was set up just a few feet from my drink trailer. He had a cooker on a trailer, a tent looking thing, tables and a really comfy looking chair. He looked as if he had escaped from the Z Z Top country group from times past. His helper could have been from the group as well. When it was all over, he tried numerous times to hook his his cooker to the pickup but he kept bumping the cooker and nudging it a little farther away. It is a good thing it was on fairly level ground or it would have been nudged completely away. Finally a nice man went over and guided him and all was hooked up and pulled off.

A large group of motorcycle riders came in a herd and caused a bit of a rush at the drink stand. As one couple was ordering Dr. Peppers, the young woman just fell to the ground. Her guy finally got her up and inside and came back to ask for a cup of ice. I’m guessing she just had too much sun. She seemed just fine later, when she came by to get a refill.
Enough excitement!

Since I had been outside for hours, in the covered trailer, I was getting a little overheated, myself. Not wanting to have someone need to come pick ME up, I got a substitute and went inside for a 15 min. air conditioner break. It is a good thing I did, my face was getting rather red.

Even tho’ we were asked originally to be there from 9-3, we were given a check for $750 for Good Samaritan and the thanks of the 3M club and relieved of our duties about 1:45.
I’m glad to be back at home, with my shoes off, and my feet up. It wasn’t hard, but it was a little hot.
I’ll bet I saw more tattoos today ( sleeveless shirts and shorts, etc.) than I see in a week or two of my “regular life” One in particular comes to mind on a young attractive woman in her 30’s. Can’t tell you what it said, it was in a sort of Gothic script, and it stretched across her upper chest and I could see only part of it, but it was different.

Thanks 3M club, we made as much or more for 5 hours than from the entire Salsa Festival with it endless hours of preparation, planning and execution.

One more thing to mention---I had never heard of the Buckmasters before. -- they are a group of hunters who are working to procure “game” to be given out at the Good Samaritan food pantry. They were there working also and they donated some of their money to GSM The reason the name interested me is that, years ago- in my other life--I worked for a Superintendent of Schools with that last name.

All in all an interesting day of people-watching and pouring drinks.