Saturday, March 5, 2011
Today is Reno Day at the Soldiers Home, when the Tacoma Harley Owners Group descends in a mass of rolling thunder and turns Chilson Hall into a gaming Mecca.
I called Mike on my way there and learned his doctor had said he’d made some improvement. Mike sounded better, and I felt better. I promised to send his greetings to his friends.
I pulled into the parking lot, and my car rumbled. My first thought: low-flying plane. Then: thunder. Then: Holy crap—the bikes. I’d better get my video camera.
I met Ray McDade, his wife and part of his family on my way in. He was making a beeline for the bikes.
“He always has to stick his nose in everything,” his wife, Della, laughed.
I was on refreshment duty, but by the time I got inside, most of the hard work already was done: Doreen and her VFW Auxiliary ladies had toiled over 300 mini ham-and-cheese sandwiches (a beloved Soldiers Home tradition), and we set out cheese and crackers, fruit, cookies, chips, coffee & fixins and two coolers full of pop.
The games began at 1:30, so imagine our surprise when the HOG gang bellied up to the bar just after 1 and loaded up plate after plate after plate. (If you can’t imagine it, it was something like this: “Hey!”) The Harley folks do tremendous work on Reno Day, and they are amazing with the residents, but at one point we literally had to hide the cheese and crackers so there’d be some left for the residents. We had to reset all the chairs and rewipe all the tables and restock everything—and then refocus on why we were really there.
Residents started pouring in and claiming spots at the gaming tables—Cal Bush, Leo Martell, Doug and Danny all played Texas Hold 'Em together; Ken Levick kept asking me to tear off more game tickets so he could play longer; and others were just popping from station to station trying to win chips to trade for Harley gear or “regular” prizes.
People didn’t seem to want to take a snack break, so I delivered a couple trays of drinks to the tables. I took pictures and picked up empties and encouraged everyone to come to the Game Room and eat when they were done.
They did. The games were packed up just before 3. Dorothy showed me some cute girly Harley shirts she’d gotten as gifts. Ray McDade finally got the liquid laundry detergent he’s always wished Bingo would offer. And Gary and Cal parked by the cookie table hoping for doggy bags. They got them.
Turns out we had more leftovers than we knew what to do with. And it turns out the Harley folks brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people with their generous, easygoing spirit. Hmm. I guess I no longer begrudge them their sandwiches.
Today is Reno Day at the Soldiers Home, when the Tacoma Harley Owners Group descends in a mass of rolling thunder and turns Chilson Hall into a gaming Mecca.
I called Mike on my way there and learned his doctor had said he’d made some improvement. Mike sounded better, and I felt better. I promised to send his greetings to his friends.
I pulled into the parking lot, and my car rumbled. My first thought: low-flying plane. Then: thunder. Then: Holy crap—the bikes. I’d better get my video camera.
I met Ray McDade, his wife and part of his family on my way in. He was making a beeline for the bikes.
“He always has to stick his nose in everything,” his wife, Della, laughed.
I was on refreshment duty, but by the time I got inside, most of the hard work already was done: Doreen and her VFW Auxiliary ladies had toiled over 300 mini ham-and-cheese sandwiches (a beloved Soldiers Home tradition), and we set out cheese and crackers, fruit, cookies, chips, coffee & fixins and two coolers full of pop.
The games began at 1:30, so imagine our surprise when the HOG gang bellied up to the bar just after 1 and loaded up plate after plate after plate. (If you can’t imagine it, it was something like this: “Hey!”) The Harley folks do tremendous work on Reno Day, and they are amazing with the residents, but at one point we literally had to hide the cheese and crackers so there’d be some left for the residents. We had to reset all the chairs and rewipe all the tables and restock everything—and then refocus on why we were really there.
Residents started pouring in and claiming spots at the gaming tables—Cal Bush, Leo Martell, Doug and Danny all played Texas Hold 'Em together; Ken Levick kept asking me to tear off more game tickets so he could play longer; and others were just popping from station to station trying to win chips to trade for Harley gear or “regular” prizes.
People didn’t seem to want to take a snack break, so I delivered a couple trays of drinks to the tables. I took pictures and picked up empties and encouraged everyone to come to the Game Room and eat when they were done.
They did. The games were packed up just before 3. Dorothy showed me some cute girly Harley shirts she’d gotten as gifts. Ray McDade finally got the liquid laundry detergent he’s always wished Bingo would offer. And Gary and Cal parked by the cookie table hoping for doggy bags. They got them.
Turns out we had more leftovers than we knew what to do with. And it turns out the Harley folks brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people with their generous, easygoing spirit. Hmm. I guess I no longer begrudge them their sandwiches.