By Amanda Modglin, Account Executive, Corporate It’s amazing how much you can fall in love with a city when you get involved in the community that surrounds it.
I grew up in Houston – in a pleasant suburban area, with chain food restaurants all around. I had typical Houstonian experiences, including field trips to NASA and the Museum of Natural Science and family nights in the Theater District and at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Even with all of these childhood experiences, I always thought I would never be back. Why? Because I thought Houston just didn’t have “culture”. (If it is not yet evident, I was not permitted to do much exploring on my own in the city. And at the stage in my life I thought I knew “everything”, though I clearly did not.)
Fast forward through college and falling in love with “city life” because of the people and culture I encountered after a couple stints in London and New York, and VOILA! Where am I headed for a job opportunity? Houston.…good…‘ole…Houston – you remember, the land of chain restaurants and no culture.
Two weeks after my move back to the city I call home, I woke up on a Saturday morning to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo parade. As if receiving some glorious vision from God, I sat up, the clouds parted, and the most amazing revelation came shining down upon me: Holy cow! Houston has its own culture! And the Rodeo is one of the biggest examples of it!
Over the past two years and three Rodeo seasons, I’ve been able to experience RodeoHouston in new ways, including through the events of our client and the Official Lift Truck Provider of the Rodeo, Cat Lift Trucks, and now as one of the 24,000 volunteers that run the Show. Even as a self-proclaimed city girl, I love this Western tradition.
This year, I had the pleasure of being invited on to the Gatekeepers Committee, one of the 74 committees involved at the Rodeo. We man the gates to Reliant Park, paying dues and volunteering time during the three- week Rodeo season to help produce one of the largest economic-grossing events for Houston. Our dues and time also go toward the main purpose of the Show: to give out scholarships to students in the Houston area.
As a volunteer, what did I receive, aside from the warm fuzzy feeling of helping my community? The opportunity to soak up even more of this diverse city attending the event, networking with other volunteers and interacting with a portion of the 2 million+ Houstonians and visitors that pass through the gates into Reliant Park. It was fantastic! And as an extra bonus, my volunteering contributes to Edelman’s Corporate Citizen Engagement Program, and I am getting major kudos from my team!
Take it from this culture buff, if you want to enjoy a city, give up your time. Jump in and volunteer to help your community. You’ll learn and experience new things and get to know the diverse people and offerings that make your city great.
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