​She Came for the Team… and Stayed for the Balloons

Some people volunteer because they love community events. Others volunteer because they enjoy working with a great team. And then there are the truly dedicated volunteers who discover they have a hidden talent for popping balloons at precisely the wrong time.

Meet one of our longtime Olney Days volunteers – Sue Strosnider!

Her first encounter with the volunteer call for Olney Days came through the Olney/Brookeville Exchange. She saw the request for volunteers, thought about it…and promptly waited until the event was over. The following year, when the volunteer request appeared again, she decided it was time to “get up off the couch” and add her name to the list. Thankfully for all of us, she did.

She has been volunteering ever since.

Her Olney Days résumé includes vendor setup, selling beer tickets, working at the bounce house table, and pitching in wherever an extra pair of hands is needed. She particularly enjoys the teamwork that happens behind the scenes.

“I get a lot of satisfaction when I work with a team toward a common goal.”

And there is definitely a lot of teamwork involved. Olney Days doesn’t just happen—it takes an army of volunteers willing to arrive early, stay late, solve unexpected problems, and occasionally figure out what to do when a balloon has become a hazard.

Speaking of balloons…

She has discovered that she has an excellent balloon-popping ability. In her role to assist vendors to their assigned locations, she would “wear” a balloon floating 4 ft above her head so vendors could find her in a crowd. The system worked beautifully—until she walked underneath a tree with a low branch.

POP!

The balloon met its leafy nemesis. Now balloons only float 2 ft above her head.

Behind the scenes, there are plenty of other things people might not know about volunteering at Olney Days. For example, volunteers may discover that organizers throw an epic party before and after the event. 

After spending years volunteering at her children’s schools, she eventually took a break after retirement to enjoy her hobbies. But after a few years, she decided it was time to roll up her sleeves again.

“I’m truly happy that I did,” she says.

That may be one of the best things about volunteering: you never quite know what you’ll find. You might discover a new group of friends, learn a new skill, become an expert balloon popper—or simply find the satisfaction that comes from being part of a team working toward something bigger than any one person.
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And her advice to anyone considering volunteering?
“Don’t be afraid to join in—we don’t bite.”
Well…unless you count the balloons.

Tami Abramowitz (left) and Sue Strosnider (right)