Paul Richardson: It'll be here before you know it

Being neck deep in something can cause a bit of claustrophobia. I recall once when I was having an MRI performed, they had me stuffed into the machine up to my chin. The first few minutes were tolerable, but after that I had visions of having stepped off into a post-hole and no way to get out.

Currently I am neck deep in the planning and development of the 2020 City of Neosho Fall Festival. Decisions were made by the City leadership that this event would take place on Saturday, October 3rd. 

Since my retirement I have been providing event consultation, planning, development, marketing, and assisting in execution on the day of reckoning. That’s what I do. Don’t ask me how this happened, it is just what I do, and it has proven to work out pretty well.

If the past several months has taught us anything, it is that community is important. 

Due to the loss of social activity, the reaction of the masses has been a great outpouring when things do happen. While events are great fun, there is a lot of work, activity, and need that goes on before and during the event. This is my feeble plea on the behalf of the City of Neosho for volunteers to assist in the upcoming Fall Festival. 

The assistance of the volunteers will ensure that this event is all that it is meant to be. The task that need assistance are short-term duties. Volunteers will be used for the layout of the vendors spaces. This will take place on and evening during the week prior, usually on Thursday evening. The spaces are marked out with chalk and identified for each vendor.

The other area of need is for assistance on the day of the event with the Soap Box Derby. Rick English and Boy Scout Troup #55 host that event, but they need some volunteers to help. It will take up a couple hours of your time, but the fun and relationships that can be established will make the entire Festival memorable.

This Festival is not just happening willy-nilly. A Health Plan has been developed and approved by the Newton County Health Department. Protocols are in place to make the event as safe as possible for those wanting to attend. 

If someone doesn’t feel comfortable with attending this type of gathering, we understand and support that decision. 

A few years ago, when I was working for the local Harley-Davidson dealership, one of the things that I would discuss with customers was safety. The conclusion of this discussion would be, “We all must determine the level of risk we are willing to live with.” That level is different for each and every person and decisions made do not give permission for anyone to become the “hall monitor” and scold everyone for not following their decision.

The Fall Festival is on the schedule and will be here before you know it. If you can volunteer, please do so by contacting the front desk at City Hall! 

(Paul Richardson's column, The Horse I Rode In On, is published weekly in the Neosho Daily News, Seneca News-Dispatch, Aurora Advertiser and on the Turner Report.)