Behind the Scenes of Wimberley Lions Market Days

This is by a guest contributor, Stan Luczkowski, who has worked all of these behind the scene activities.

All Wimberley Lions Club members seem to like our Market Days project and enjoy working on that first Saturday for 10 months each year.

Many of those working on Market Day have a “shift” to work which consists of 3 or 4 hours at one of the concession stands or one of the parking lots, although some will stay and work an additional shift, or go on to another spot for a shift.

These positions are vital to making Market Day work and we are fortunate to have so many Lions who are available and willing to “serve”

A lot of the other work required to make Market Day happen is done in between those Saturdays and a lot of it in the few days just prior to Market Day.

Some of the this work is done by groups of volunteers, such as the regular scheduled clean up day on the Saturday before Market Day, or the periodic need for repairing or building a concession, storage area, or tree trimming. These activities are well known and usually get an adequate volunteer response from the membership.

However there is a lot of repetitive work done by individuals that has to happen on a regular schedule prior to each Market Day.

Let’s look at a list of some of these activities.

INVENTORY AND SHOPPING LIST

Between the Market days, the manager of each of the 5 Lions Club concessions and the BBQ facility takes inventory and put together an order which is turned in to the purchasing manager (currently Crow Wilson) to place the order for the food deliveries.

They also provide a list of any special items for their concession which needs to be picked up locally or in Austin.

ORDERING SUPPLIES

The week before Market Day, the purchasing manager consolidates the lists and places the orders with the food vendors and other suppliers. This includes all food, drinks, ice, and normal serving supplies such as cups, plates, utensils, etc.

DELIVERY OF SUPPLIES

Three or four days prior to Market Day, items requested for local purchase are picked up from Sam’s Club (currently done by Jack Bourke and Larry Thomas).

The rest of the supplies start arriving at the field and are received by the purchasing managers.

- Meat deliveries for the BBQ arrive

- Sysco delivery of the majority of items arrives

- Water and soft drink deliveries arrive

- Ice delivery arrives and distributed to each concession area.

The composite deliveries are sorted out for the individual concessions - the concession managers pick up their items, along with water and soft drinks, and stock their concession.

BBQ PREPARATION

On Friday afternoon, the BBQ volunteers put their briskets on the cooker for all night cooking.  Early (3 am) on Market Day, BBQ workers start their work of preparing beans, onions, removing briskets, loading chicken, sausage and turkey legs, etc. on the smoker.

OTHER PREPARATION ACTIVITIES

On Thursday prior to Market Day, the Leasing Manager coordinates the email and calls from prospective day vendors.

On Friday before Market Day, the Field Treasurer prepares all the cash drawer money for distribution to the concessions.

FIELD WORK

Besides the special maintenance repairs or field additions which happen occasionally, there are many other maintenance items which are being completed on an almost daily basis by the Field Manager (sometimes alone and sometimes with assistance).

And there are the regular tasks which are done just prior to each Market Day or early on Market Day morning and are coordinated by the Field Manager:

- Main pavilion and concession 2 pavilion are cleaned

- Streets are swept or blown free of debris.

- Ropes are put up in the parking lots

- Flags are put up at the field and parking lot gates.

- Golf carts and club cars are serviced and cleaned.

- Wishing well is filled.

- Flags are raised on the field poles.

- Vendor problems are addressed – such as power problems, ants, etc.

And, some of the above items are addressed again by the Field Manager at the end of Market Day or the following Monday to put away items and wait for the next month.

In summary, it must be noted that there are a lot of other activities which are being done by our other Lion volunteers that make the Lions Club Market Days so successful. This is just a look at some of the activities happening behind the scenes at the Field which is so necessary so that when the “crowds” arrive, the Market Days usually operate very well and successfully.

Stan Luczkowski

Wimberley Lions Club

Frank Austin, a real Community and Lion Supporter

This is the first of a series of Blogs to highlight Lions so the members can better know their fellow Lions.   When I think of Wimberley Lions, Frank Austin is one of the first that comes to mind.  His roots in Wimberley go back as far as the early 40's.  He moved his family to Wimberley from Houston in 1978.  In Wimberley business, Frank been involved in securities, business finance, mineral exploration, home building, land development, and banking.  Frank organized the first bank in Wimberley - now, the Ozona Bank.  He started Water Technology in 1988.

Frank is a real conerstone of this Lions Club.  He has been a Lion since 1991.  He has been Program Chairman; Donation committee member for 15 years where he has investigated many organizations; Long Range Planning Committee for 6 years; and Director on the Lion Board.  He has taken on special assignments:  Before Wimberley was incorporated, there was no entity to distribute information to the community.  The Lion Board saw a need to disseminate this information so it funded and the Wimberley Senior Citizen Activity Incorporated facilitated the Wimberley Valley Alliance.  Frank Chaired that organization for the Lions Club during its existence.  He was aided by the Late Lion Bob Guinn and this author.   This organization served as a center for dessiminating information community wide.  After the city was incorporated, Frank shut the organization down because it conflicted with city government.

Other sticky jobs were handed to Frank to solve:  About 4 years ago, there were some complaints about our catering service.  Frank chaired the committee that resulted in our current catering service.   He was tasked to respond to the Lion District's strong request that our club divide into two clubs.  He also set up a program to provide ranch tours for inbound foreign exchange students.  

At market Day he is currently Lion Hauling Manager.  He has also been a Concession Manager, Concession Worker, and Parking Lot Attendant.

The Wimberley Lions Club is only a part of Frank's community effort.  He chaired the Wimberley Players Theater Building Committee.

When someone is considering putting their toe into the Wimberley political water, they usually point that toe first to Frank Austin's door.  He should know what is going on in Wimberley and Hays County.  For five years he has been a member of Hays County Infrastructure Committee and Chairs the Water/Waste Water Subcommittee.   He is the Wimberley rep to the Blue Ribbon Transportation Committee and Director of the Hill Country Round Table for five years.  He is a Past Director of the Trinity Aquifer water Planning Group, past WISD School Bond Committee Member, past Chair of the WISD Long Range Strategic Planning Committee, Hays County Economic Development Committee, Wimberley Chamber of Commerce, Past Chair Wimberley Transportation Board, and Past Chair Wimberley Comprehensive Plan Review Committee.

Frank's wife Nancie is the former owner and organizer of Wimberley Lodging and La Cima Tours and Travel for 25 years.  Their children - Allison and Trey both live in Wimberley.