Athens — For those who are not aware, each year the Rotary Club of Cedar Creek Lake hosts a Celebrity Waiter night of entertainment. The club has been creating these nights for 16 years, and shows no sign of letting up.

This year's theme was Wonderful World of Disney.  What great costumes some of the guests were wearing.

When the committee starts their meeting to organize Celebrity Waiter, no one is ever sure how the night will turn out.

Last year, 2011, was the biggest night for the fundraiser. This year, from what I am hearing, is coming very close to last year.

The event held at Athens Country Club is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club. This is the only fundraiser the club has to raise the money for the many non-profit organizations they contribute to.

Without the help of all the community members who agree to be waiters, this undertaking could not happen. We had such a great group of waiters this year. I am going to try and name them, and hope I don't leave anyone out. They are Aimee Freeman, Robert Blaase, Laura Ward, Kim Walker, Mike Groom, Scott Confer, K.K. and Acie Mitchell, Stan and Karen Fernald, Chad Ingram, Shirley Salmon, Erin Osborn, Shelby Adams, Dr. Roberto Loar, Ted Ingersoll, Doug Smith and Ed Reeve.

Our waiter list was shorter this year, but these waiters did a tremendous job. This year, the 16 waiters brought about 200 people to the event. 

I must not forget to thank all our attendees. Without the community support, the Rotary Club could never pull this off. The fundraiser is a major event, and takes a lot of planning and coordination. In the end, it is well worth the effort.

So many organizations benefit from the money raised during Celebrity Waiter. As most people know I am a firm believer of giving back to your community.

There are a lot of people in our community who need our help. Those people should benefit from what some of us have been blessed with.

Next time you are asked to attend any fundraiser, remember that this is a way to give back to your community.  

I know the Rotary Club is thankful for what they have been given by the residents of Henderson County.

Next year will be here before we know it. 

On to my next cause. The Cedar Creek Lake Parrot Head Club is building a handicapped fishing ramp at Tom Finley Park in Gun Barrel City.

What a great idea!

The ramp will  be named after one of the original Cedar Creek Lake Parrot Head members, Eddie Ohler. The ramp will be called the Eddie Ohler Handicapped Accessible Fishing Pier.  Eddie has since passed away, but I am sure he is proud of the club he helped start.

This is a large undertaking for the Parrot Head Club, but they are up to the challenge.

There are different ways the community can help with the pier.  There are sponsorship opportunities available, or you can do what I did. The club is planning a brick walkway. The bricks can be purchased for $50, and you can have someone's name engraved on the bricks.

My husband, Jackie, loved Cedar Creek Lake. I purchased a brick in the memory of Jackie Lee Nailling.  Now he will be part of the lake area for a very long time. The brick idea was great way for me to remember Jackie, and it helps the Parrot Head Club in their goal to provide this handicapped pier.

There are so many ways to help our community. I realize not everyone has money they can donate. But you can donate your time. It doesn't cost you anything.

The Resource Center in Gun Barrel City is always needing volunteers. Check out the Help Center in Athens or the Crisis Center. I could go on and on.

There are so many ways we can give back.  I have only named a couple of the many organization in Henderson County. Go find one that will suit your needs.

I found this Chinese Proverb that says it all:  “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”

Kathi Nailling is a Staff Writer for the Athens Daily Review.