Friday 26 August 2011

Why Do We Do It?

A few weeks ago I helped out at an event my local Y's Men's Club were doing.  Our club raises funds through the annual Home Show at the local arena and through catering.  Luckily, we have a few very good cooks in the club and we do a pretty good job at just about any size event you would like. 
This particular event a few weeks ago was a fund-raiser for a local politician and the club was asked to provide a lobster dinner, with a chicken alternative for those who didn't like lobster.  Can you imagine, someone not liking lobster?  Oh, well, to each their own.
During the event it occurred to me, not for the first time, that I was in the presence of some very special people.  Here it was, the middle of summer, on one of the few evenings where it had not been raining and there were nine club members working to prepare and serve lobster to this dinner.  Instead of being home with their families, or partaking in whatever hobbies they have, these guys had committed their evening from about 5:00 through to about 9:30.
I looked around and wondered, why do they do it?
Some do it because they enjoy the camaraderie, to be sure.  Generally speaking they are a good bunch of guys with interesting backgrounds, opinions, and attitudes.  To say they are all always fun to be with would be a bit of a stretch.  I will always remember something an "old hand" said to me when I joined the club.  He said, "there are some people in this club who will drive you absolutely crazy, but in the end, they always do the right thing".  After more than ten years in the club, I would have to agree with that sentiment.
Some do it just to get out of the house of an evening.  Many of them are retired so a catering job such as this is an opportunity to get out and stay active.  For some, I'm sure their wives like them out of the house a few evenings a month as well.
Some do it simply because they are committed to the mission.  Founded in Toledo, Ohio, USA in 1922 to support a local YMCA, Y's Men International is now oriented to serving the worldwide YMCA, the largest non-governmental youth organization, and through it the communities in which it is present throughout the world. Since the YMCA is usually known as "the Y" in the USA, and as the Y's Men movement started there as a club of "men of and for the Y", it was named the "Y's Men's Club".  Many clubs are now co-ed, and so go by the name Y Service Club.
Our club gives significant financial support to our local Y every year, but there are many other organizations, both locally and internationally, that benefit from the hard work of the members of this club.  They are making a difference in this world and I know that some members realize that every time they parade into a dinning room carrying heavy platters of lobster over their heads while wearing extremely warm sou'westers, and knowing they are making a difference in the world is enough to make them do it night after night.
The interesting thing that I have noticed is that virtually none of these members do it for any self-aggrandizement motives.  Unlike some other organizations I have belonged to, no one seems to be here because they get their picture in the paper, or it looks good on a resume.
They are here to make the world a better place.  And that, is pretty cool.


Tuesday 28 June 2011

Gambare Nippon!

As we all are aware, Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11 of this year.  Over 11,000 people were believed killed (a number expected to climb), over 18,000 missing and over 180,000 displaced.
Y's Men International started a campaign, called Gambare Nippon! to "help the Japanese Y’s Men to effectively carry out their relief activities with YMCA Japan for the victims of the earthquake and the tsunami which struck Japan on 11 March 2011."  Y's Men's Clubs from all over the world raised funds to help in this relief effort.  To date, $102,755 USD has been raised and forwarded to Y's Men International to help in this effort, proving once again that Y's Men and Y's Service Clubs have a huge heart. 
This campaign will continue until September 2011, as the relief effort will be continuing for some time to come as people need to rebuild lives torn apart by this catastrophe.  
Check the YMI page for how to contribute to this campaign: http://ysmen.org/index.php?id=710