By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
Many of the events sponsored by the Crestline Chamber of Commerce throughout the year require the help of volunteers to be successful. The monthly Corks & Hops during the summer, the huge Jamboree Days parade and fireworks, the Fall Festival and winter Mardi Gras, the Duck Derby and other activities all use many volunteers to successfully put on the events for the community to enjoy.
To recognize those volunteers who spend their time enabling those various events to occur, the chamber threw a volunteer appreciation bowling party at Rim Lanes on Lake Drive on Wednesday, Dec. 11. They invited over 60 people who had volunteered and approximately 50 attended, representing over 10,000 hours of volunteer time this last year alone.
Louis Boehle at the volunteer pizza appreciation dinner at Rim Lanes. (Photo by Rhea-Frances Tetley)
“We wanted to give a special thank you to those who volunteered with the Crestline Chamber of Commerce this year. We live in a community that continually comes together to support one another. I look forward to the positive changes that 2025 will bring,” posted the coordinator, Alex Hancock, for the chamber on their Facebook page.
The pizza ovens were busy putting out hot, delicious pizza to the hungry crew who were mostly novice bowlers, but they were having a fun time trying to knock down those elusive pins, way down that long alley. More than 22 pizzas were consumed, along with salad and drinks. Many of the volunteers brought their children so the kids’ lanes had the bumper guards up on their lanes; they seem to have the highest scores, mostly in the 100s.
There were also a couple of “ringers” that evening, volunteers who are also on a couple of the bowling leagues that play at Rim Lanes, but no one was in a seriously competitive mood. All had a great time whether bowling in the 50s or 60s or in the high 100s.
Many of the volunteers hadn’t bowled in years but found the evening exciting and made a decision to return to Rim Lanes again soon with their friends and family. Since it was open bowling, the volunteers broke into groups of approximately four, got a lane and had fun. The children and grandchildren of several volunteers bowled against each other; some played the video games in the game room as well.
Other volunteers were just happy to get one or two strikes in the evening. On one alley of bowlers, Corrine, who was bowling for two as she will deliver her baby in two weeks, had the highest score. Even Carlos Aguilera, who just won his election as local trustee for Area 5 to the San Bernardino Community College district, was there bowling his best. Some hadn’t bowled since college and were rusty to say the least. Others, after adult beverages, bowled even worse, but were still enjoying themselves.
Many members of the chamber’s board of directors were there including President Louis Boehle and Vice President Michelle Hake, plus other active volunteers such as Vicki Vargas, Sara Green and dozens of lesser visible but valuable, behind-the-scenes volunteers were there. Every person makes a difference when putting on the many events the chamber does, and they have fun when working together or bowling against each other. The mood was festive and lighthearted. It was the intent of this evening to let each person know their efforts were appreciated. The volunteers at the various events are what make Crestline the delightful community it has become.
The idea for a volunteer appreciation event or dinner has been discussed for years but hadn’t occurred since Covid. It was Alex Hancock, the new activities director, who put all the pieces together and made it happen to conclude the year. Rim Lanes has been an active member of the chamber of commerce for many years so this location and activity, centrally located, was the perfect spot for such a volunteer event.
Sara Green talking to other bowlers at Rim Lanes. (Photo by Rhea-Frances Tetley)
Since becoming the activities director, Hancock has been making videos that have been posted on social media promoting the community. His most recent videos have been on the Crestline Top Town Fall Festival, Goodwin’s Family Christmas and the Blue Jay parade, attracting extensive comments on Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere, bringing great attention to the community. He posts them on the Crestline Chamber of Commerce site, where he also posted many portraits of the bowlers in front of the Christmas tree inside the bowling alley from that evening.
For more information on the Crestline Chamber, which is an organized volunteer group of local business owners and others who want to promote and grow the Crestline community and its activities, contact the chamber office at (909) 338-2706, see their Facebook page or website at www.CrestlineChamber.org. Leave your name and contact information and start having fun being involved in a small town of activities along with your friends and neighbors.
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