Kiwanis Club Ends Era of Service in Concessions
by Brother Rogers
Saturday marks a significant milestone at Humphrey Coliseum. It has nothing to do with the basketball team on the court.
This Saturday, the Kiwanis Club of Starkville will work its final men’s basketball game in the concession stands at Humphrey Coliseum, ending a remarkable 37-year run. Aramark will operate the stands in the future. The Kiwanis Club is grateful to Mississippi State University for allowing us to be a partner for all these years.
Humphrey Coliseum was completed in 1975, the last project overseen by my grandfather Will Rogers, who retired that year as head of the physical plant. In 1976, the Kiwanis Club began providing the labor for all concession events at Humphrey Coliseum. In addition to men’s basketball, the Kiwanis Club has worked every women’s home basketball game, every concert, every MSU commencement, every science fair, and every event at the Hump that offered concessions.
Every member of the Kiwanis Club worked as a volunteer. They put in thousands upon thousands of volunteer work hours. Each year, Kiwanis has been responsible for staffing the concession stands at approximately 45 events held at the Hump. The club earned a percentage of the proceeds, which according to its rules, must be spent entirely on projects in the local community. And what a difference the Kiwanis Club has been able to make.
Since 1976, the Kiwanis Club of Starkville has donated more than $1,000,000 back into the local community. You read that right. Over one million dollars has been distributed to a myriad of good causes, particularly those that benefit children.
For example, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Joan Butler Taylor, a Kiwanian herself, Kiwanis has been a partner with the Emerson Family School for many of its programs for young children. When the local Boys & Girls Club was threatened with closure without a large infusion of cash, the Kiwanis Club made a sizable donation to keep their doors open. Kiwanis purchased a bus for The Father’s Child Ministry, which serves children who grow up without a father.
The Kiwanis Club has sponsored numerous youth sports teams in swimming, baseball and soccer. Kiwanis sponsors Cub Scout Pack 11 and donated nearly $5,000 to upgrade the kitchen at Camp Seminole. Kiwanis annually supports Catch-a-Dream, Special Olympics, 4H and many other youth programs.
I have been a member of “Concession Stand 2” since 1993. Each stand develops a sense of camaraderie and gets to know its regular customers. We will miss the interaction with you, the fans. Mississippi State University prides itself on having a family atmosphere. Having leading citizens in the community, such as Bascom Allen, Jim Henson, Marco Nicovich and Hayes Truitt to name but a few, behind the counter greeting customers has contributed to this feeling of family at MSU for the past 37 years. MSU icons and fellow Kiwanians Charlie Weatherly, Bryan Baker, Charles Thomas, Gaddis Hunt and the late Bob Hartley seemed to know every fan.
We who have worked in the concession stands for Kiwanis want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone in the MSU community. Each time you bought a hot dog, a coke, a box of popcorn, or MSU ice cream you helped make a difference in the lives of young people in the Starkville community.
If you attend the final home game of the season this Saturday, be sure to thank the Kiwanians behind the counter. It is the end of an era in community service, and if I say so myself, it was a job well done.
Brother Rogers is a guest columnist and works at the Stennis Center for Public Service.
This Saturday, the Kiwanis Club of Starkville will work its final men’s basketball game in the concession stands at Humphrey Coliseum, ending a remarkable 37-year run. Aramark will operate the stands in the future. The Kiwanis Club is grateful to Mississippi State University for allowing us to be a partner for all these years.
Humphrey Coliseum was completed in 1975, the last project overseen by my grandfather Will Rogers, who retired that year as head of the physical plant. In 1976, the Kiwanis Club began providing the labor for all concession events at Humphrey Coliseum. In addition to men’s basketball, the Kiwanis Club has worked every women’s home basketball game, every concert, every MSU commencement, every science fair, and every event at the Hump that offered concessions.
Every member of the Kiwanis Club worked as a volunteer. They put in thousands upon thousands of volunteer work hours. Each year, Kiwanis has been responsible for staffing the concession stands at approximately 45 events held at the Hump. The club earned a percentage of the proceeds, which according to its rules, must be spent entirely on projects in the local community. And what a difference the Kiwanis Club has been able to make.
Since 1976, the Kiwanis Club of Starkville has donated more than $1,000,000 back into the local community. You read that right. Over one million dollars has been distributed to a myriad of good causes, particularly those that benefit children.
For example, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Joan Butler Taylor, a Kiwanian herself, Kiwanis has been a partner with the Emerson Family School for many of its programs for young children. When the local Boys & Girls Club was threatened with closure without a large infusion of cash, the Kiwanis Club made a sizable donation to keep their doors open. Kiwanis purchased a bus for The Father’s Child Ministry, which serves children who grow up without a father.
The Kiwanis Club has sponsored numerous youth sports teams in swimming, baseball and soccer. Kiwanis sponsors Cub Scout Pack 11 and donated nearly $5,000 to upgrade the kitchen at Camp Seminole. Kiwanis annually supports Catch-a-Dream, Special Olympics, 4H and many other youth programs.
I have been a member of “Concession Stand 2” since 1993. Each stand develops a sense of camaraderie and gets to know its regular customers. We will miss the interaction with you, the fans. Mississippi State University prides itself on having a family atmosphere. Having leading citizens in the community, such as Bascom Allen, Jim Henson, Marco Nicovich and Hayes Truitt to name but a few, behind the counter greeting customers has contributed to this feeling of family at MSU for the past 37 years. MSU icons and fellow Kiwanians Charlie Weatherly, Bryan Baker, Charles Thomas, Gaddis Hunt and the late Bob Hartley seemed to know every fan.
We who have worked in the concession stands for Kiwanis want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone in the MSU community. Each time you bought a hot dog, a coke, a box of popcorn, or MSU ice cream you helped make a difference in the lives of young people in the Starkville community.
If you attend the final home game of the season this Saturday, be sure to thank the Kiwanians behind the counter. It is the end of an era in community service, and if I say so myself, it was a job well done.
Brother Rogers is a guest columnist and works at the Stennis Center for Public Service.