Since organizers announced plans to hold WaterFire in Sharon, Tracy Schliep has been on board and active behind the scenes.
” It’s been a lot of time and hard work, but it’s great to see it pay off. I think you can tell by the number of people and revenue that WaterFire brought to our community that this could be the answer,” Schliep said. “Just in this last year, we’ve seen downtown Sharon become a destination. That’s why I’m so willing to donate my time and effort.”
The 57-year-old Laurel Technical Institute health instructor and advisor was already busy planning and executing her courses and overseeing all the community service work her students undertake.
LTI’s Health Occupation Students of America group has given countless hours of service to WaterFire Sharon and their role has grown in the past year.
“Their willingness to donate their time and effort has definitely contributed to the success of WaterFire,” Schliep said.
Like many WaterFire volunteers’ stories, Schliep’s started with a phone call from Jen Barborak. She was looking for assistance with health and safety teams during the events. While Schliep’s students couldn’t take the reins, she knew they could help. Suddenly, Schliep was a team leader calling ambulance services and recruiting volunteers.
“At the first WaterFire, when I sat along the bank of that river and they lit those braziers it was spiritual. I felt a true sense of community. I was changed at that moment,” Schliep said.
Paired up with Katherine Huff of St. John’s Episcopal Church, which hosted and organized a care station at WaterFire, Schliep and her students currently run the children’s activities for WaterFire. They’ve even recruited LTI cosmetology students for face and hair painting and henna tattoos.
Schliep’s team has also been involved in planning and executing physical lab activities for kids, bringing hands-on science to life along the river.
Though she hasn’t actually calculated it, Schliep figures she’s worked enough hours behind the scenes to hit the triple digits . In addition to her team leader duties, she’s wrapped torches and convinced her husband to manage some of the parking lots for the events. They’re also part of what they call “special ops” – which helps to organize and execute the lighting ceremony.
“Being able to be a torch bearer during WaterFire is an honor. Its a way to tell volunteers that we appreciate their effort,” Schliep said.
The LTI students took part last year and Schliep was touched for them to be part of it. It was moving to see them standing on the State Street Bridge, all in black, raising flaming torches to the sky.
“I got a little verklempt I was so proud,” she said.
And while the spirit of volunteering is to do something without getting anything back, Schliep said her students definitely benefit from the time put in at WaterFire. They get a sense of accomplishment, an opportunity to network, the good feeling of helping the community and a chance to improve their teamwork skills.
