The 2011 annual 4th of July Celebration at Otwell is now in the books. In 1957 the Ruritan Association began in Jefferson Township, and, over the many years, there have been celebrations hosted as fundraisers for the community.
Otwell's current population is around 400--a tiny town population. However, come the weekend of the 4th of July, that population--Ruritan members, Community Center members, and just plain good-hearted folks--come to the old school grounds and ask where they can best help. They sell hamburgers, ice cream, call Bingo, sell raffle tickets, cook chicken and ribs, bake pies, make slaw and potato salad and baked beans, plan parades, run beauty contests, etc.
Think about it: this small town, more the size of a quaint village, does a bit of everything. Browse around the website at http://otwelljuly42011.wordpress.com and marvel at all that is done for the entertainment and fun of the surrounding area. It's exhausting just to think about it. Many towns ten times larger couldn't pull this off--but little Otwell does.That's the spirit of volunteerism.
One really neat thing that came from this? There's a huge, new shiny generator sitting on the east side of the Community Center now. That generator was made possible through the generosity of a village--a benevolent population. And now, as a result of that generosity and a lot of hard work, the Community Center is a designated Red Cross Emergency shelter. Big deal? Yep, it is. As a number of us stood in the pole barn where the Young Farmers were selling concessions on Sunday evening and watched a storm tear through the grounds, more than one person felt a little better knowing that there was a shelter at the ready to protect the people attending the celebration. Fortunately, it wasn't needed...but it's there when it is.
And now the cautionary part of my meandering--Otwell is aging. The average age of the volunteers is getting pretty high. They're wonderful people and they're still working diligently, but several of them worried aloud to me that they just can't keep doing this forever. They need help. They need more and more young adults to become involved to assure that the celebration continues. They were all quick to praise every last young person that was helping this year with the chicken and rib cooking, with the events, with every little thing that someone new or younger was helping with to make the three days go smoother.
I've been treated to a 4th of July celebration for a long as I can remember. It was a very special part of my growing up. Every year, the memories of years come flooding back--and good memories they are. Let's make sure that those little townsfolk running around the grounds get the same chance to have memories and then, through volunteering, make memories for yet the next generation.
It takes a village to raise a child...it certainly takes a WHOLE village to host a celebration. Be sure to pitch in next year--I guarantee you'll be welcomed with a big smile.
Have a fine day...
