Noon Moon Joe

Around this time of year, I get nostalgic. Who doesn’t?

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to do volunteer service for a number of great organizations. I really enjoy the work and camaraderie.

It was always in mid-November that I did volunteerism for Fantasy of Trees, the annual fundraiser for East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

I started volunteering for FOT when I was an employee at the hospital. After I left that job, I continued volunteering for the holiday benefit show for about 10 years. During my time at the hospital, I was involved in all sorts of work from setup to teardown of the event. Sometimes I helped construct fixtures.

At other times I rode a scissor-lift to the top of the convention center to help hang decorations such as large stars, snowflakes or cotton batting.

One year, my boss told me and another co-worker that two gentleman – one called Moon and one named Joe – would be delivering items to us at noon. “Don’t forget!” she implored us as we left. My co-worker looked at me, grinned and said “Noon, Moon, Joe. Got it.”

For years, that catchphrase: “Noon, Moon, Joe!” became a friendly greeting among the two of us and many other members of the team.

After my employment at ETCH, my Fantasy of Trees experience generally boiled down to two days of gathering props and provisions and loading trucks for the show. For the most part, I rode around town in a truck driven by my friend, Richard. He, I and another friend, Bryan, served as the three amigos for many years as we did our part to help out.

Basically, our two day time period would start on the Wednesday during the week before Thanksgiving. So, in a way, today is an anniversary of sorts.

We’d start off our first day by picking up our truck and then going straight to the closest Hardee’s for breakfast. You know, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day.

After breakfast, the three of us would begin criss-crossing the town. Many vendors and organizations agreed to loan props to the show. Others offered donations of various goods. I remember we made an annual stop at a unique business, near The Old City. This particular company was a purveyor of wooden pallets.

We’d always pick up a truck-full, take them to the convention center, unload them, and then head back out.

Generally, we’d wrap things up for the day when we had fully loaded the truck a second time.

Day two ‘might’ include more driving around. More often, however, it was a day spent at the hospital. There were all sorts of supplies, props and wooden tree stands ready to be loaded. Most of the second day was spent loading truck with those items.

I have to say, over 10+ years, I got to be a pretty good packer. Those special relations skills come in handy to this day.

Lunch on Day 2 – the Thursday before Thanksgiving – always coincided with the hospital’s annual holiday lunch in the cafeteria. So, as volunteer workers, we were treated to that yummy lunch of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and all the trimmings.

During the course of my time as part of the support team for the annual holiday show, I met a number of wonderful people; hospital employees and community volunteers who came together for a common cause. I made many friends at Fantasy.  And when I think back to those years, I do so with fondness and nostalgia.

In that spirit, I went by Hardee’s on my way to work this morning and ordered my traditional steak biscuit. I thought of Bryan and Richard as I enjoyed every bite.

And as I send along greetings to the current volunteers as they prepare for this year’s show, I wish them a happy: “Noon, Moon, Joe!”

JG

Originally posted 11/20/2013