Bottle Hill Day 2021 – A Thank You from Laurie & Stephen Mindnich
This past summer when Father George asked us if we would like to take over, the answer was an easy one… yes. First, it was a request from Father George. Second, and maybe even more important, was the chance to help our beloved Marie Toto free herself from this project that she orchestrated so wonderfully for years and to focus on what we all know was paramount in her life. As we reflect, it was a great decision.
To properly thank all involved would take an extra chapter of Deuteronomy, so I’ll go with the cliff notes version instead. To Laurie, what can I say but thank you for everything, and I mean everything. Your hours of work made this entire day go off without a hitch. I finally know what a pitcher taking the mound in the bottom of the first with a ten run lead feels like.
To our wonderful parish, the place to start is at the top and our great pastor, Father George. Thank you for your leadership every day, your love and devotion not only to St. Vincent Martyr Parish, but to Madison. Your mantra of “Attitude of Gratitude” and “Time and Talent” is contagious. Proving the axiom that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, so many thanks to Jan, Kathy, Denise, Susan, Jody, and Tom Kinney for all your help, passion and support. Father Jader for the translation help and to Father Chris for his afternoon visit and for bringing Father Prezemyslaw. A huge thank you to Doug Loikith and Victoria from Madison Memorial Home for once again creating and donating the beautiful St Joseph prayer cards.
To our array of 25 volunteers, thank you for asking not what can I do, but how much more can I do? You are the ones who made this thing work, and it was fun and a pleasure to share it all with you. Special thanks to Marcella and Carlos Bledt, Kathy Larkin and Michael Newman for putting in overtime during the takedown, as we had to deal with a disagreeable tent. Come to think of it, if we are volunteers, is there really any such a thing as overtime?
Finally, thank you to Lisa Ellis and her team for putting on a great show, to all the Madison Borough employees who were there from 4:00 am to takedown and to our Madison Police force for keeping us all safe. Madison is known as the Rose City, and thanks to you the best of our great town was in full bloom.
The late Herb Brooks, the coach of our 1980 Gold Medal hockey team, told his players moments before they hit the ice in the memorable game against the Russians, that “great moments are born from great opportunity”. The pandemic took away our Bottle Hill Day last year. I say “our” Bottle Hill Day because we live in Madison and Bottle Hill Day is part of our DNA. You could just feel it all day just how much we appreciated it being back, and the great memory it created.
Thank you all for the great opportunity to share it with you!
Laurie & Stephen Mindnich
