The Castro Country Club can't open its doors each day without the support and hard work of its many volunteers. Starting this month, as a way of recognizing their tireless efforts, the CCC will be spotlighting a "Volunteer of the Month". Each month, our Café Manger, Billy Lemon and our Volunteer Coordinator, Louis Cullen, will select the volunteer they feel has excelled in a number of areas including over-all abilities, attendance and willingness to go above and beyond.
We are proud to name Ric West as our inaugural recipient of Volunteer of the Month!
Ric exemplifies all of the attributes of a great Volunteer. He is reliable, flexible, pays close attention to detail and most importantly, he is kind and loving to everyone who walks through our doors!
From the staff of the CCC and the entire Board of Directors, congratulations Ric!
Here are a few words from Ric on what the CCC means to him:
When I first came into the rooms of recovery in 1997, I took for granted that the meetings were there for me. I really didn't consider the work of the trusted servants or that the speakers would be there. I felt the same about The Castro Country Club. I went there almost every day. I expected it to be open and available for me.
Looking back I can see how entitled I felt I was. I would complain loudly if it didn't open on time the furniture was old and dirty and the carpets, disgustingly stained and worn. I told everyone that would listen to my complaints and thoughts on how it 'should be run'. The pinball machine didn't always work well, the 'Packman' machine was tired and the screen on 'Space Invaders' was fading. The jukebox needed new music and don't get me started on the Java House coffee!
Then one morning in 2000, the Club didn't open. "This is No way to run a business!" I would complain. Sitting on the steps I held court to all that would listen about how things should be run. The next day it still wasn't open, then the next. Then we found out it was closed indefinitely. People still came and just sat on the steps, we had nowhere else to go. This is when I truly realized just how important The Castro Country Club was, not just to me but so many others from all the different fellowships.
I don't remember who started the dialog with Baker Places to get the Club reopened but for months about 30 of us would meet there regularly with Baker Places to put together a plan to get The Old Girl reopened. Some, like Dan Cusick and Dan Collins are no longer with us. I think it was late spring of 2001 that The Castro Country Club finally reopened.
The carpet was still worn and stained, the couches were worn and dirty and the Java House Coffee really was stale, but The Castro Country Club never looked more beautiful to me.
Since then I have had a living amends to The Castro Country, I will never take her for granted, I know how important she is. I have seen so many lost souls come in those doors and watched the miracle of recovery take place. I'm one of them as are so many others. I love The Castro Country Club.
Ric West
Volunteer, Castro Country Club
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