Volunteers offer helping hand at Tri-City Water Follies

It’s in the high 90s as Curt Wichers’ students direct traffic in the Tri-City Water Follies parking lot.

“There’s a narrow window from about 10 to noon where it’s going to be pretty ugly,” he said. “I’ve been diving in and out of the shade out here, but ... some of the times you’re just hot.”

Eight Kennewick High Junior Air Force ROTC students were one of several groups who volunteered their time and a great deal of sweat at the annual event.

Hundreds of volunteers, from the boaters patrolling the shoreline to the parkin attendants, are needed every year to make sure the Water Follies run smoothly.

In the case of several community groups volunteering to direct traffic in the parking lots, they receive a portion of the parking proceeds. In many cases, the money goes to pay for trips or other extras.

Near the pits, a different community group capitalized on the heat to scoop their way to success.

Marcel Bergeron, with the Knights of Columbus Kennewick council, said the booth would probably sell 70 three-gallon tubs of ice cream — one cone or bowl at a time.

“Chocolate is popular, but huckleberry is one of our best sellers,” said Bergeron.

The money they raise goes to help pay for medical equipment for people who can’t afford it and support Special Olympics, along with donations to some of the area’s Catholic schools.

On the corner of the trailer, below the two-foot tall painting of an ice cream cone, is a dedication to Jim Nichols. The former member of the council donated $10,000, which helped build the trailer.

“We’ve probably made close to $300,000 (over the course of several years) since we started,” Bergeron said.

Another group of volunteers donated time to making sure elderly and special needs spectators can enjoy the races. About half of the Tri-Cities Sunrise Rotary Club’s members manned the special needs viewing area.

They shuttle people to the area, where they enjoy shade, cooling misters and a chance for a front-row seat at the racing action.

“We bought our own golf cart ... to be able to pick people up at different gates,” said Terry Marie Fleischman of the Rotary. “We’ll take them to the pit areas. They might want to go shopping. They might want to go get an ice cream cone.”

The special needs area is a highlight of the club’s service, and exemplifies the organization’s motto, “Service before self,” Fleischman said.

For several of the people sitting in the area, it would be their only option for enjoying the show. The heat, the sun, the noise or the crowds would have kept them at home.

Mike Butcher travels to the races every year from Spokane. He excitedly waited for the next race along with his sister, Colleen Cosgrove, and brothe-in-law, Mike Cosgrove.

The quiet and the shade allow them to bring Butcher to the event.

“The Rotarians are so generous and make sure that Mike’s comfortable,” Mike Cosgrove said. “It’s like a family here.”

This story was originally published July 30, 2017 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Volunteers offer helping hand at Tri-City Water Follies."