Maple Mania

Our small town--Powassan--did it again. Yesterday we all pulled together and staged the annual Maple Syrup Festival and, thankfully, thousands came to partake of our volunteer labours.

Today we rest.

Tomorrow--or some time in the immediate future--the committee will assess the execution of this year's version and start in on the planning of next year's event. I have no doubt that the date for it is already set in stone.

Today we get to sleep in and then linger over our coffee. I will get to actually visit with my sister and niece and her fiance, who arrived late Friday night and I've hardly had a chance to do more than welcome them and show them where the extra towels are. They too were conscripted to work in a maple syrup booth on Main Street but, since they're outside volunteers, they were not assigned the early shifts. My husband and I tiptoed out the door before 6.30, leaving them to fend for themselves with some peanut butter and jam and a toaster that I forgot to mention will always set off the smoke detector.

My day began by working at one of five pancake breakfasts. Some of the cooks and organizers had been there since 5.30 a.m. when I ambled in at 6.45. (Oh, and I didn't exactly amble. First I had to park my car on the perimeter of the core, guessing how far out the roadside parking would extend, in the hope that when I finished up sometime in the afternoon, I would be able to get my car out and go home, and then I practically ran to my first assignment at the breakfast.)

Two hours later, when I had finished my shift at the breakfast, I headed back out onto the street to "amble" over to the library, where we were expecting 500 or so children and their parents to come through. The streets were already filling up nicely. At the library, I had volunteered to be one of the face-painters--in spite of the fact I have never painted on a face nor am I artistically inclined. But, hey, I like children and have found them to be quite forgiving in nature. The parents never ask for qualifications and, apparently, will let just about anyone draw on their children.

My one-minute design lesson was augmented through the day by the other more artistic volunteers and, when we ran out of paints six hours later, we had painted about 250 faces. I have to say I really enjoyed myself. I haven't had small children in my life for a few years and had forgotten how open and spontaneous they are. They giggled as I applied cold paint and showed me their new tooth and ran down the battery on my phone using it as a mirror to admire my work. Children now have names like Crimson and Kendra and Donatello and patiently repeated them until I understood. Next year I'm hoping to bone up on my technique beforehand so I can do a better job.

Unlike most of the day's volunteers, I got to sit down on my job. By the end of yesterday I know there were a lot of sore feet and backs resulting from all the lifting and standing. Apparently word had reached Rick Mercer on what was happening so he attended and flipped a few pancakes as well.

Many attendees marvelled at the crowds and suggested we should spread the thing over two days. That always brings an outward smile and a silent grimace. Just the thought of having to get up this morning and do all that over again would be too much.

In fact, containing the syrup festival in one very full day, probably contributes more to its success than any other factor. We volunteers know we have one day and one day only to go full out and get it right.

And we did get it right again. Wisely, today we are enjoying our well-deserved rest.