State Convention pt1: The Hang
Hey there everyone! The purpose of these write ups is to share what it’s like being involved in the Union at the level I experience it at, which is just a steward’s level. I hope that these write-ups will help demystify the process of being involved and show you just how simple they are to do, and how impactful they are for your representatives. So, as you read, imagine yourself in the same position and I’ll do my best to paint you a word picture. Let’s dig in.
We all met up down in Margaritaville, previously Tan-Tar-A, right on the edge of the Lake of the Ozarks. The restort has a rustic “Ozarks charm” that’s like glamping; you’ve got bowling, an arcade, and restaurants right next to still lake waters, families of deer a few yards into the treeline nearby, and a gorgeous sunrise that sets the tone for a relaxing day. The rooms were comfy and clean, and a little quirky if I’m honest. The place is old, but like a comfy pair of jeans old, and while I’d never been there before I felt pretty chill about being there. With Jimmy Buffet’s image attached to the place, I think that’s the point of it.
I came in later on Friday evening after work, right as dinner was wrapping up. The room was full of people from different branches in the region all mingling around their tables, shaking hands with folks they hadn’t seen in a little while. The scene is so familiar; an old conference room with gaudy light fixtures overhead, tables of people gathered for a meal and company, an eruption of laughter from across the room, folks brought their spouses with them, just the good stuff. Everyone was having a good time. After the meal wrapped we had a laugh together over trivia games, and in between rounds folks participated in a silent auction for charity. Mark Goodbee put on a wig and played a cowbell along with “Don't Fear the Reaper” when it came on during the music part of the trivia games. It was super casual as we got settled in with our Union brothers and sisters.
We got a brief look at the “who’s who” of the event as they introduced themselves and thanked everyone for the attendance, then gave us a rundown of what to expect Saturday during the session. That was the closest we got to “talking business” that evening when I arrived, and I was good with that because Saturday sounded like it was loaded.
I guess in this first part I want to try to convey how personable this event was. When you get into one of these things, the feeling you get from being around other folks who are as passionate about Union activity as you are… I don’t know, I feel there’s something energizing about it. These folks give to charities, they donate their time and effort for others, and they take the time to share their knowledge and commitment with others. They live the life and put their money where their mouth is. I never heard anyone with an ego this weekend, I never heard anyone trying to elevate themselves, all I saw was the outpouring of what folks do on the daily to help their people out. Crazy part; these people want to get to know you and get involved in your area.
This event wasn’t a hoity-toity gathering, it was a humble and people-centric one. A real tee-shirt and shorts kind of dig. I didn’t know what to expect when I first started going to these things, but now that I’ve gone to a few I have started to recognize the feeling of fraternity and union in these people. Anybody with a heart for helping is welcome here, and helping is an incredibly easy thing to do because so few people do it.
Want to check one of these things out? Find out how you can help. Let a branch representative know you’re interested in checking this out so you can see what it for yourself. When I went to my first one I thought, “Wow, I thought it would be a lot ‘tougher’ than that.” Turns out these things are easy to enjoy and even easier to get involved with.
All right, some meat and potatoes in the next one, but I wanted to show the more “human” side of things because the “business” side of things might scare some folks off without context. Stay tuned for the next one!
-A