BY EARNEST WINSTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FLORENCE - Organizers of one of Northern Kentucky's largest festivals say more of y'all need to volunteer, or else the Labor Day weekend event may not survive.
A lack of volunteers is threatening the 19-year-old Florence Y'all festival, which draws between 80,000 and 100,000 annually to Main Street.
"If we get some help, I will stay around. Otherwise, why are doing this? I'm burning out the people on the committee," said Ted Bushelman, chairman of the Florence Y'all committee.
Mr. Bushelman said organizers are giving donations to organizations to run the soft drink booths, which used to be operated by volunteers. Everything at the festival is free except the food.
"Some of the people who have been involved (with the festival) have been involved since its inception, said Florence Mayor-elect Diane Ewing Whalen, who runs the festival's parade. "We definitely need more people to step up. Because without that, I don't see how it can continue."
|
TO VOLUNTEER
|
|
A meeting will be held for interested people, although a date has not been set. Anyone interested should call the Florence Government Center at 371-5491, and give their names to Betsy Conrad or Kim Hardin.
|
The festival was designed to be a one-year event to celebrate the city's anniversary, but it was so successful organizers decided to continue.
It features everything from a rocking-chair contest and clogging to arts and crafts and live country music. Also included are a children's art contest, a pet show, K-9 and fire-and-rescue extrication demonstrations and a family day.
A committee of about 25 people oversees planning.
"What we're looking for is a group of people who can understudy us and take over. Our people would like to train them and let them see what's going on. They're not going to come in cold," Mr. Bushelman said.
"(The festival) is a good thing for the community. But the community's going to have to help support it. We don't need money because it takes care of itself. We're asking for your support in time," he said.
Several people have expressed interest in volunteering, "but it takes more than 100 people to put this on," Mr. Bushelman said. "It is a totally volunteer festival. We still have some of the same volunteers we started off with (19) years ago," said Florence Mayor Evelyn Kalb, former chairwoman of the fest. "I have every confidence that it will continue."
