Hot Pursuit

As I enjoyed the Fourth of July in Blooming Prairie, I couldn’t help but notice all the fun and excitement the different events brought to the faces of young and old alike. Even before the fireworks filled the night sky, people definitely were getting a bang out of the festivities.
From people marching in the parade to folks enjoying the entertainment and kids smashing a rubber frog into the water, the Fourth celebration had a little of everything for just about any age. 
For the past 41 years, Blooming Prairie has entertained folks over the Fourth in a big way. The community has prided itself on hosting a wonderful two-day event. Thousands flock to town every Fourth to take in the festivities. 
While it’s fun for many people to enjoy a big party like this, it comes at the expense of finding volunteers to run everything. 
A concern has been circling for the past few years about the lack of volunteers for the Fourth. It seems very few people want to step forward to help out. The threat of losing the Fourth celebration is real. We need to find of way of making sure that doesn’t happen.
Just after finishing another year of marching with the American Legion, Kenny Trom of Blooming Prairie shared his thoughts about finding volunteers to step up to the plate. Trom has served in many capacities over the years, including Chamber president back when the Fourth festivities as we know it today began in the mid-1970s. 
Trom said finding volunteers has always been a perpetual problem, especially in recent years as everyone gets more consumed with life in general. It also doesn’t help matters when the Fourth falls on the weekend because many folks head out of town.
One of Trom’s solutions for attracting more volunteers would be to throw a bash just for those who volunteer. “Give them a beer and a hamburger and it goes a long way,” said Trom, who is a retired banker. “You need to recognize them somehow. You can’t just take and take and take from people. You need to show your appreciation and you’ll get back in 25 times the labor,” he added.
Trom shutters at the thought of losing the big BP Fourth of July celebration because of a lack of volunteers. 
“It really polishes our image and gives people a good attitude about the Blooming Prairie community,” Trom said. 
Volunteers are the heart and soul of life in small communities. Without them, we would not be able to enjoy all the benefits of small town life. We need people to step forward to help out so that the BP Fourth doesn’t become a thing of the past. 
I certainly hope we can find more volunteers to carry on the traditions that have been woven into the fabric of life in Blooming Prairie and the surrounding area for several decades. Going in hot pursuit of finding volunteers will spark a way to keep the Fourth alive and well for future generations.