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Spraggs snags award for three decades of Rodeo volunteering

Virden Indoor Rodeo is almost here so step up to the bar and congratulate Ed!
Ed Spraggs
Ed Spraggs

Some folks would argue that Ed Spraggs is one of the most important volunteers at Virden’s Indoor Rodeo & Wild West Daze because he’s in charge of the beverages.

But that’s not the only reason he’s this year’s recipient of the Gerry Holmes Memorial Award.

Spraggs has been part of the Virden rodeo since it began 30 years ago. At the time, he was a Kinsman working at the now-defunct Firefighters’ Rodeo in Virden.

When the Western Rodeo kicked off in 1988, he got involved and since then has only missed one – last year’s when he was being treated for cancer and a weakened immune system kept him housebound.  

This year, he’s back and looking pretty happy about it.

Spraggs is bar chairman for the event; it’s his job to recruit volunteers to work the bars.

Sometimes non-profit groups in small towns have a hard time finding enough volunteers but that hasn’t been his experience.

“It’s not hard once you have people started and they enjoy it. I’ve had some of the same people with me the last 25 years… The secret is getting good people and then hanging onto them. You have to take care of them.”

And it doesn’t hurt that many of his volunteers are also competing in the rodeo so they help at the bar in between events.

Horses? Meh.

Here’s the funny thing about Ed Spraggs. He’s never been a horse person. Hasn’t been on a horse in 35 years. And yet the rodeo committee, to him, is like a big family. That’s what keeps him coming back year after year.

But don’t big families sometimes disagree over stuff and leave?

Not this family, he says. Which sounds a bit like magic.

“That magic is what makes it fun.”

Spraggs attends rodeo committee meetings once a month all year round. That commitment is what Rodeo President Everett More appreciates most of all.

He says, “The thing that means the most to me – he attends the meetings. There’s times I sit at that table and there’s like five people there, and all of a sudden we have a fairly important decision to make - you know Ed will be there with valued input.”

During the rodeo weekend itself, you’ll find Spraggs shepherding his volunteers and working without a break until Sunday evening when he can finally sit down and watch some of the final events in the arena.

“At the end of the rodeo, Monday night, we take it all down and put it away. We sit around and talk about what went good and what needs to improve. Then we agree to meet in September to start planning next year’s rodeo.”

Really? You’re coming back for another year?

“I’ve done it so long, I don’t know anything else. It’s what I do.”

About the award

Spraggs is the 12th local volunteer to receive the Gerry Holmes Memorial Award for volunteerism, joining past recipients like Steve Dryden, Jocelyn Hagan, Everett More, and Debbie King.

Gerry Holmes joined the Virden Rodeo organization in 1995 and was president of the steering committee for six of her 11 years there.

She attended her last rodeo in 2006. The award that bears her name was created after she died of cancer and she was its first recipient in 2007.

 

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