It should be no surprise to anyone -- putting together Oakfield's annual Labor Daze celebration is a lot of work.
Too much work for only five people to handle, according Donna Dwyer, last year's co-chair for the event.
That's why there will be no Labor Daze in 2010.
"We considered lots of options and people suggested ideas, but we've been at this long enough to know it was going to be just too tough for a small group of people," Dwyer said.
The event has been a 25-year tradition in Oakfield and is an important part of the fundraising calendar for many local charities, but Dwyer said with some key people stepping away for either health reasons or other personal commitments and the lack of new volunteers stepping forward, putting on the event for 2010 just wasn't realistic.
The Oakfield Betterment Committee will continue to try and recruit volunteers for 2011, but even if several people stepped forward now, it's just too late for 2010, Dwyer said. There is just too much work that has not been completed yet that should be done by this point.
"We would already be behind the eight ball," Dwyer said. "For example, we have to have all of the entertainment booked by the beginning of February."
Mark Colopy, another organizer who oversees the food booths said he was out of town Monday when the committee met and made its decision, but that it makes sense. The group just needs more help.
"We're looking forward with optimism," Colopy said. "This is an important event for the community. It's an important fundraiser for a lot of non-profit groups in the community and it's a great time to get out and see your friends and neighbors. We just didn't have the necessary support to carry it through for 2010."
Recruiting volunteers seems
Recruiting volunteers seems to be a big problem for a lot of organizations. My problem is that people get ideas, but they expect other people to do them. When I was a kid and I used to tell my mother that "somebody ought to..." [fill in the blank] she'd always say, "Well, hello-o-o-o somebody."
That's pretty true. I don't
That's pretty true. I don't mind volunteering, personally. However, I have been put in situations in the past where volunteering turns into leading, co-leading, or having to get people to get off the cellphone or leave.