Another year has come and gone and another successful Iowa Barbeque Society Senior Q is in the books. Iowa BBQ Society volunteers along with tremendous support from Hawgeye's BBQ, Smokey D's BBQ and Catering and Russ and Frank's BBQ Sauce put out a top notch BBQ meal for the residents and their families at Sunny View Care Center in Ankeny, IA. Smoked brisket, chicken and pork loin chops along with baked beans and slaw were provided. We also had hot dogs for the kids - and many of the adults. Sunny View staff filled in deserts and other items, as well.
It was another perfect fall day in central Iowa. The beautiful weather allowed us to set up outside and allow the residents and their families to enjoy a picnic out in Sunny View's courtyard. The combination of family, food, live music and great weather made for a very enjoyable day for all. Overall, approximately 300 residents and their families were fed. Once again the efforts by the Sunny View staff kept things running very smoothly. Sunny View's courtyard is a spacious area with a beautifully built fire pit and seating for the residents to enjoy. The kids got into keeping the fire stoked up and combination of the warmth from the fire pit and the sunshine had everyone in a great mood. This is an event that you can really tell the residents are anxious for each year. The Iowa BBQ Society volunteers were on site early lighting the cookers and getting the food prep done. Even hours before lunch you could see the residents coming down the halls and looking outside in anticipation of a day filled with family and good food. It was pretty brisk early but it didn't stop some of the residents from getting outside and enjoying the sunshine. By the time we were to start serving at 11:00, there were people ready to eat and the families had already began arriving. Tables were full of residents, family and friends and you could hear the laughter as they caught up with each other. The courtyard was packed through the entire event.
Events like this don't just happen. It takes a staff and an administration team to help plan and volunteers that are willing to provide time and finances to make it happen. Administrator Carl Koedam has been great in supporting the event and it is obvious he cares a great deal about the residents and his staff. Without the donations from Hawgeye's BBQ and Smokey D's we would never be able to pull this off. Support from the Iowa BBQ Society was tremendous again and we were able to pull this off without a hitch.
I have seen a number of Senior Q events popping up all over the country from articles in the KCBS Bullsheet and on different blogs and forums. This is a great thing that can really impact people's lives. What started as an idea with Mike Tucker years ago has grown and spread to BBQ societies and care centers across the country. If your local BBQ society doesn't have a Senior Q event yet and you would like help setting one up, feel free to contact the IA BBQ Society by sending an email to info@iabbq.org.
Andy Cleghorn
