Blog & Vlog

I love community

By Eric Workman on December 2, 2010

Bridges’ annual Spaghetti-Rama (formerly Spaghetti Dinner) was held on November 19, 2010 this year and what a great time we had. Aside from the laughter and fellowship I witnessed, one thing made a lasting impression on me as I have had time to get through the hectic planning and look back on the event.

The word that sticks out to me most is “community.” I witnessed a great deal of community on several levels that enabled the event to go off without a hitch.

Volunteers: Without our volunteers there would be no fundraiser for our Youth Program. Volunteers pitched in, in every aspect imaginable. From making calls to solicit donations, to picking up door prizes, to stirring the drink mix, our volunteers made this event possible.

Board Members: Aside from board members attending the event, we had members take time out of their busy schedules to pick up donated items the day of the event and face Nashville’s infamous rush-hour traffic to bring the food on time.

Staff:  Bridges’ staff members were great with planning all of the details; especially the last-minute things to take care of the day of the event. A great benefit to having a small staff is the camaraderie felt to support one another.

Consumers: We had several members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities lend a hand to make this event successful. From baking to arranging the dining room we really felt the love from those we serve.

Sponsors: We had tremendous support from Nashville’s businesses. Everything from penne, to spaghetti, to lasagna, to salad, to bread was donated from local restaurants. What a blessing it is to live in such a philanthropic community.

So there you have it, the major players in making the Spaghetti-Rama and Game Night 2010 a hit. The beauty of the event this year was seeing a serving community from an individual level to the corporate level.  Thanks to all who contributed their time and energy and we are already looking forward to next year!

-J. Eric Workman
Vice President & Director of Programs