Page 9 - FF2025

Page 9

A ‘seasoned’ pro

Former Fall Festival manager leading Rotary barbeque

The committee members responsi- duction this year, other than adding requires time, effort and attention to
ble for the famous Rotary Chicken what they hope will be more efficiency detail. The purchase of all the food,
Barbeque dinners this year have a real and quality control. The committee, including thousands of pounds of
advantage. Experience. Years and which includes Rotary members Todd chicken, tons of corn, chips, rolls, and
years of experience. Raska; Doug Willett; Bari Lizsey and hundreds of bags of charcoal must be
Rotary Barbeque Committee Kirk and Debbie Sivic have been meet- purchased, delivered and stored on a
Chairman Eric Joy has decades of ing regularly for weeks and communi- rigid timetable.
involvement with the festival after hav- cating nearly daily as Chicken Sunday Those specially made boxes with
ing served on the Fall Festival Board nears. The group members were deter- sponsors names need ordered and the
for several years before becoming mined, Joy said, to maintain the 2024 700 or so volunteers need to be recruit-
chairman. In that volunteer position, price and there will be no price ed, scheduled, organized and trained.
Joy was responsible for every aspect of increase for the dinners this year. The The committee members also
the event for 12 years. Joy stepped meals will remain at $17 if purchased ensure that all the equipment used in
away from the job about three years in advance and $20 if purchased at the the production of meals is on site and
ago to spend more time on his other door. in good working order. Storage of the
interests and his career as president of The behind-the-scenes effort to pro- machinery from year to year is another
Christensen's Plant Center and his duce nearly 9,000 chicken dinners in a issue that needs addressed annually
involvement with the Air National single afternoon takes enormous effort and having hi-lows available Saturday
Guard. and organization. Each of the commit- evening to help carry the hundreds of
Joy said he and the committee tee members usually takes responsibil- cement blocks used to build the char-
members haven't made any drastic ity for one or two facets of the event
changes to the long-time barbeque pro- and each behind the scenes job See Joy, page 10