Woodlake’s Western Week is over and done and by all accounts it was a success.

And like other Valley communities which host annual rodeos and other events, it takes a few days for the dust to settle and pholks to get back to “normal,” a term which is unique to each community and its residents.

The phrase “A good time was had by all” is heard so often and this year is no exception. Even though I did not attend the actual event, I can honestly say “this was not my first rodeo.” Furthering the use of clichés to make my point, I turn to the “a good time was had by all” to note that those good times are the result of a great amount of very hard work. Events like Western Week don’t just happen.

Some groups get involved as a means to make some money—which of course goes to a good cause be it a field trip, new uniforms, summer camp, a sports team, a charitable cause, a community beautification or betterment project or whatever. And there are those who just enjoy doing. Some do it for a cause. Some just do it be-cause.

Even though I was involved in a small way with several events during Woodlake’s big week I once again witnessed first hand the hundreds and hundreds of hours and long days and nights put in by a number of area residents. Of course, the Woodlake Lions Club and the Lady Lions get in the limelight around rodeo time each year how many pholks realize the hundreds and hundreds of hours and buckets of sweat and thousands of dollars go into putting on a rodeo, one which is unique not its billing as the most picturesque rodeo setting but for its rodeo talent and hospitality. Practically every club and organization in town from the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, the schools, the YMCA, churches, volunteer fire department, police, Chamber of Commerce, downtown merchants Friday Night Live, the City of Woodlake, sheriff’s department and everyone who participated in the Saturday parade. Naming names is dangerous and the fear of leaving someone out is a concern

Woodlake resident Chris Crumly, never the one to seek the limelight, is just one of hundreds who went more than the extra mile during Western Week. Actually he went several hundred miles.

Crumly, a member of the local chapter (Woodlake Flying Tigers) of the Experimental Aircraft Association made 33 flights from the Woodlake airport on Aviation Day where airplane rides, $10 for adults and $5 for children, were offered on the weekend before the rodeo.

Crumly, along with Hans Steiner of Visalia and Jim Brinkman of Reedley, made more than 80 flights carrying more than a total of 200 persons on 10-minute flights over Monrovia Nursery Lake Kaweah. Chris is quick to point out “there were a lot of people who gave lots of hours to get the job done,” citing half a dozen names and organizations who helped pull off the annual event.

Crumly, of Hal Crumly Refrigeration, made his first flight around 8 a.m. and made his final landing of the day somewhere around 6 p.m., although it was supposed to be over around 2 p.m. The event is the only source of income for the club.

The City of Woodlake, which owns and operates the airport, has indicated it will provide a break on fuel cost for the private pilots who provided the flights.

Again I say pholks, there are many things and many people who make events come together. Far too many of us just take those things for granted. Don’t.

Even if you didn’t wear a pink shirt, like Woodlake Lions Club members did again this year as part of the Professional Rodeo Association support of Breast Cancer Awareness Day, or didn’t wear a cowboy hat the whole week, a tip of the hat is deserved by a whole bunch of good pholks in whatever community you belong to.

SPEAKING OF PINK how about those Major League Baseball guys who went to bat for Breast Cancer Awareness on Mother’s Day.

In case you missed it, more than 200 Major League Baseball players used bright pink bats during Sunday games to raise awareness, and some big bucks, for scientific research and public awareness of breast cancer.

Most of those bats will be auctioned in the next few weeks. The goal this year is $1 million, about three times what was raised last year when the pink bat event started.

I think the idea is great but I just have to stop and think how such an event would have gone over a few years back.

Can you imagine the reaction some he-man slugger would have created walking up to the plate with a pink bat? If he didn’t get plunked with a fastball on the initial pitch he would be one lucky guy.

Today it is just as likely that some macho player making a smart “sissy” remark will find himself on his rear or nursing a bruise from a wild pitch as the he-man slugger from the old school.

Miles can be reached at mshuper@valleyvoicenewspaper.com