The Legend of the NoVA CBG "Company" Picnic

RSVP AT THE LINK BELOW FOR THE
2025 NoVA CBG "COMPANY" PICNIC:
https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/309026522/

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The Legend:
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The NoVA CBG "Company" Picnic is coming up soon on Saturday August 2nd and whether you are coming to the picnic or not I like to send out to everyone annually the story of why I call our summer picnic the "Company Picnic".

My father in his early family years worked for Spaulding Fibre, essentially the company made fibre based products (if you know what Fibre Board is, you get it). Blue collar upbringing... all that jazz... typical of the Buffalo NY area.

But once a year there was the Spaulding Fibre Company Picnic. Much buzz and commotion happening in the Wolanske household as the weekend approached. My father always would explain to me that this is how companies say "thank you" to their employees. While the company may not be able to say thank you all the time, or acknowledge the worker's efforts day after day, at least once a year the company made sure that they showed how much everyone was appreciated. Not just their employees were thanked but their families also.

The Company Picnic had Beer on tap for the adults, and Birch Beer on tap (like Root Beer) for the kids, hot dogs, hamburgers, oysters on the half shell, and for dessert ALL THE ICE CREAM YOU COULD EAT. When you arrived you could see the smoke from the grills getting fired up. You could see the barrels of Ice Cream in the truck (that's what I'm staring at in the picture if you follow the link). And it was held in a park where there were pavilions and play grounds.

*** CLICK HERE to see for my Parents in all their 70's glory ***

As a child, it was the one day you could be an adult. You could walk up and ask for a hamburger without your parents around. You could eat all the ice cream you wanted (that was my dad's rule, he would say "let the boy enjoy himself"). And the balloon toss, it was open to EVERYONE regardless of age. The one game that anyone could play. They wouldn't let me play horseshoes unfortunately, probably for the best. I simply remember thinking "this is AWESOME" always remembering what my father explained to me. This was because his company was saying thank you to him for doing such a good job and in turn thanking his family as well.

Of course times changed, and that "company" attitude migrated to one of expecting more and thanking less. So the Company Picnic went by the side of the road to save a few dollars. I think that is not how it should be. I wanted to do something about it. So I made my own picnic.

It has taken me a number of years to get this picnic to where it is today (we have plenty of stories along the way) and it has taken a lot of help from those that I'm trying to thank... but I wanted you to know I do this to say THANK YOU ... to all of you ... for being a part of this bicycling group, and for helping out in all the large and small ways that you do.

All of what every one of you do is important to me and the group, honoring your RSVP (showing up for a ride when you say you're going to), experienced riders helping new riders, new riders showing up for the first time even though they don't know what to expect, swapping war stories, long time riders becoming organizers and leading rides so we have plenty of rides to offer new riders, helping out on the rides, communication like telling me you don't WANT to work a ride and just ride instead, great new ideas for rides, having a drink with me after a ride even when you should be going home, knowing when us organizers are stressed, knowing when I'm stressed, knowing when we are kidding, forgiving us when we do something wrong, reminding me why I do what I do when I forget, and the list goes on and on and on.

No organizer gets paid for what they do, they do this out of the goodness of their heart so please, when you see an organizer at the picnic walk up to them and say THANK YOU... thank them for all they do. Share with them a story of a ride you did that meant something to you. It's not easy being an organizer because let's be honest they all have to put up with me (and that is no small feat let me tell you). I do double their salaries every year just so you know.

And remember, as you're enjoying yourself at the picnic and meeting new people and hanging with the usual suspects please try and think the same thoughts I did as a small boy "This is because your company (NoVA CBG) is saying THANK YOU to you for doing such a good job as a member of CBG".

Cheers everyone, see ya at the picnic :)

Oh, and DON'T PARK ON THE GRASS !!!

Gary Wolanske
**gary@novacbg.org**
703-568-1550