by Walt Clark, Office Manager
A good friend of mine worked at Disney world one summer as a facilities technician. Unlike other places, he was not called an employee, but a “cast member” because at Disney you are expected to always be in character when interacting with people at the different parks. Some people he worked with would actually put on costumes like Mickey Mouse or Cinderella and go interact with people at the park. If you were in uniform, you had to act the part, regardless if you were a explorer selling sodas or an astronaut handing out maps.
Unlike other cast members, he didn’t have very many opportunities to be out and ‘perform’ because the nature of his position often meant he was working behind the scenes. Ever so often though when he was traveling between projects, he could travel through the park and enjoyed being able to put on a show for folks visiting.
The past couple of weeks here at Mayyim Hayyim we have been getting ready for our benefit event, Open Waters: Mikveh for Everybody. I have been deep in working on many of the administrative aspects of this event as well as for the rest of the building, so like my friend, I really have not gotten a chance to experience what has been going on as often.
Lucky for me we keep a guest book by the front door where many people have shared their experiences. The quotes below I picked are from the last couple of weeks. They are my way to get a glimpse at what people are experiencing and how we are bringing value to their lives. In a small way, they let me take a stroll through the park, even on the most hectic days.
“It is a blessing to have our families gather for this celebration in such a warm and welcoming space. We are so appreciative of the way you opened your doors to our diverse (and plentiful!) groups of Jews and Colombians! Thank you thank you thank you!”
“I felt that I was preparing myself and cleansing myself to become a bat mitzvah.”
“What a wonderful way to celebrate the coming arrival of our son. Thank you for letting us commemorate it in such a special ceremony.”
“I could not have had a more beautiful welcome to my Jewish life!”
“Thank you for making the dream come true.”
Walton Clark is Mayyim Hayyim’s Office Manager and jack of all trades. He is a working keyboardist in Boston, playing Black American Music and leads the acid-funk outfit Roxo Gato as well as performing in a variety of groups. You can follow him on Twitter @walt_twitwalker and on Instagram @welaxer.