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