GILLETTE, WYOMING S GILLETTE NEWS RECORD
AT THE RODEO
They just got served
Kitchen crew at Cam-plex works behind the scenes to keep volunteers fed
By JASON KORT
NEWS RECORD WRITER
jkort@gillettenewsrecord.net
Shortly after sunrise Sunday and still
hours away from the mandatory team
meeting that officially opened the 2017
National High School Finals Rodeo,
the kitchen at Cam-plex Energy Hall
was already bustling.
Just after 7a.m., Kathy Ashton
received the first radio call from vol-
unteers to bring them their breakfast
orders.
Since that first call, the kitchen crew
has been working from early mornings
into the nights behind the scenes to
keep rodeo volunteers fueled up and
working their various support jobs
around the Cam-plex grounds during
the rodeo.
For volunteers like Andrew
Patterson, the effort is appreciated.
While enjoying his breakfast Tuesday
morning delivered to him from the
commissary to his post at Morningside
Park he said that not only is the grub
tasty, its satisfying and gives him energy
for a day of hard work.
There are definitely no complaints
about the food, he said.
Everybody loves breakfast, so thats
a pretty easy one for us (to cook), said
Ashton, a senior administrative assis-
tant for Cam-plex. We do get some
requests, but not stuff that just cant
happen, like steak and eggs.
Ashton, joined by Gina Carpenter
and Devin Wells, work for Cam-plex
and head up a staff of volunteers who
feed the small army of volunteers who
work to put on the worlds largest
rodeo.
While not all the volunteers take
advantage of the food, Ashtons team
makes sure its there and ready for those
who work up an appetite. On average,
theyre serving about 200 meals a day.
Staff-wise, the kitchen crew is prob-
ably working harder than the rest of
the volunteers, said Tim Strawn, a
volunteer working security. They ensure
all the help is fed in a timely manner
and for free. He added that he is
appreciative of the 5:30a.m. coffee that
is waiting for him when he arrives at
Cam-plex. But the leftovers when leav-
ing at 11p.m. are more vital.
If I had to cook once I got out
of here, Id probably burn the house
down, he said.
Unlike other events where volunteers
may have to go to a common place to
get their food, the rodeo kitchen staff is
full service. Theyll take your meal order
Welcome NHSFR Families!
Good luck to all NHSFR Contestants!
S Wednesday, July 19, 2017 PAGE A7
and deliver it to volunteers so they
dont have to leave their posts, Ashton
said.
For example, they received one
order Monday to feed 20 volunteers
at the arena. It wasnt a particularly
large order and the kitchen already had
been cooking for more than an hour
in anticipation of having to fill some
orders. Carpenter and Wells were able
to respond quickly to get the volunteers
and staff the food they needed.
Wells began shoveling pancakes
into Styrofoam to-go containers an
arms-length away. Each small box got
two flapjacks, then was pushed assem-
bly-line style to the next volunteer for
more food.
Carpenter, meanwhile, was loading
golf carts with water and ice to re-stock
the coolers at the various volunteer
locations around the grounds. Once
the 20 orders were ready for delivery,
Carpenter boxed them up and Ashton
jumped on her Razor, because it gets
around faster, and she was off for the
delivery.
She arrived, delivered the food
to some hungry volunteers at East
Pavilion, then checked the water cooler.
She refilled with bottled water and fresh
ice.
The delivery complete, Ashton made
a loop and stopped at three other loca-
News Record Photos/Kelly Wenzel
tions to check on their water coolers
before heading back to the kitchen to John Acarregu prepares pancakes for the National High School Finals Rodeo volunteers Sunday morning.
do it all over again.
Its a process that happens three times workers Gavin Sneathen and Will
per day, serving every volunteer station Hastreiter had to snake it out and
breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with got it repaired by 9:30a.m. The kitch-
making sure they have plenty of cold en crew showed up at 5:30a.m., but
water.
werent affected by the problem.
Carl Cedar traveled from Michigan
The kitchen still whipped up some
to volunteer and was here the earlier
part of the week. He said for the size biscuits and gravy for breakfast, and the
of the rodeo, it takes a lot of volunteers deliveries were carried out without any-
and he liked the food. one going hungry.
As Pat Reinert worked to get the
A community effort gravy prepared, she said she has lived
With help from the local business in Gillette since 2008, but this is her
community, feeding the volunteers is first year volunteering to help the com-
less stressful this year, Ashton said. munity put on the NHSFR. She said
While the volunteers cook a fresh break- its important for local people to step
fast every day, many Gillette restaurants up and put in a little elbow grease to
have stepped up to donate meals. The make sure its a good experience for
kitchen still delivers them, but its a big everyone.
time- and money-saver, she said. While the 14-hour-a-day shifts can
Tuesday, Carpenter went to Pizza Hut be physically tiring, Carpenter said the
and picked up 50 pizzas with bread kitchen crew is dedicated to the other
sticks that had been donated to feed the volunteers. Its their mission to get them
rodeo volunteers. fed, she said.
The worst part is the long hours and
A minor hiccup my feet start to hurt, she said. There Gina Carpenter, center, delivers breakfast to volunteers at an RV check-
The sewer in the kitchen backed up isnt a lot of sleep involved. I figure Ill in station at the National High School Finals Rodeo at Cam-plex in
at 4a.m. Tuesday and maintenance sleep in August. Gillette on Sunday morning.
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