"You know, the Wild Game Dinner gets bad press," laughs Tom Polasky, an avid fisherman, deer hunter, and Parkside attendee. "People call it the 'Kill It and Grill It Buffet' and joke that if you hit anything on your way to church, bring it and we'll eat it, but these guys are more like gourmet cooks. They have their own cookware specifically for the dishes they make, and one guy makes wild salmon with rice and capers and a special cream sauce," beams Tom. This year, Tom will bring venison stuffed peppers that his wife, Heather, prepares with the bounty from one of Tom's hunts. "The first time we did this event, I wasn't sure what to expect, but this whole buffet is really great food."
The Wild Game Dinner got its start in 2006 when Parkside received a call from a church in Indianapolis who was sending a group of guys to Cleveland to hear Pastor Alistair Begg preach. They had heard that Lake Erie was great for walleye fishing and wondered if anyone at the church could help them set up an outing. "Some guys from Parkside hooked up with the guys from Indy and we chartered some boats out of Sandusky and had a nice time," explains Tom. "The guys from Parkside wanted to continue along the same lines, so we put together the wild game dinner. Last year, we had about 35 guys come out and each year draws more and more guys."
Guys Do Stuff
Tom explains that for men, "Sometimes our default mode is: 'What do you need fixed?' We want to know what do we need to do?" Parkside's Journeymen Ministry seeks to address that aspect of "being a guy" by offering opportunities for fellowship and outreach through golf outings, motorcycle rides, evenings at the shooting range, the annual wild game potluck dinner, and this year's first-ever, four-week seminar on fly fishing beginning on March 3rd. "Parkside does a pretty good job with the golf outing and concerts and things, but there's a group of us that are into some other activities. One of the police officers that is around on Sundays, Jon Newcomb, is an avid hunter and fisherman, and it was his idea to do a winter seminar on fly fishing. So it's been fun to meet some of those guys and great to have a forum where you can bring a friend, a family member, or co-worker that might not play golf or be interested in a Christmas concert. I've got one buddy of mine who didn't even ask what time or where; when I mentioned it, he was like, 'I'm there!'"
Tough Guys
Building new friendships and relationships may not come easily to men who often feel the pressure to live up to being the rugged individualist, the do-it-yourselfer, or even the Lone Ranger. "I don't know whether it's because all of our heroes growing up were Maverick, James Bond, or the Lone Ranger, but those characters are all made up. They're just stories, and it's not the way that reality works," notes Tom. "It's a real problem when guys try to go it alone, and it's reflected in our sports. If you're going hunting, it's always best to go with somebody. But if you do go alone, you always tell somebody where you're going and when you're going to be back. Because if you don't, and something happens, you could die. Read the newspaper. Every November you're going to see a list of people in there who didn't take the necessary precautions," says Tom. "We need to do the same thing in our Christian relationships, because bad stuff can really start happening to you. It's been a blessing to me knowing guys that say, 'How are you doing? Where are you at in your walk?' Those are the guys that I've hunted and fished with. Those are my accountability partners. But it's not easy either, you've got to expose yourself and admit that you don't have it all together."
Shared Experiences
For guys, a lot of communication is non-verbal. The ability to demonstrate certain skills, or the willingness to learn new skills can be the foundation upon which new bonds are built. Whether it's building a new friendship or nurturing the grandfather-father-son relationship, shared experiences help forge strong bonds. "With [my family], it was fishing," says Tom. "I would go with my dad and we would take my grandfather, who was a character about a lot of things. And I don't know whether Dad meant to do this purposefully, but we didn't talk about grades or things I was doing wrong. He wasn't like, 'So, I noticed your math grades have really been slipping...' None of that kind of stuff. He was just like, 'We're fishing now.' And that was cool. I could just go and be with my dad, because when you're in a boat, you're trapped. You cannot get out of it, and so it was a time when was I with my dad, but it was a safe time, too."
How You Can Pray
Tom recognizes that a lot of men attend Parkside Church who may not feel connected to the church family. His hope is that if someone has been attending and just doesn't feel connected, they might learn about these events for men and check them out. "We would love to make that connection," encourages Tom.
For More Information
Fly Fishing Seminar: For four weeks in March, starting on March 3rd, the Journeymen Outdoor Group will meet on Thursday evenings from 7:00-9:00pm to share tips and learn about fly fishing. No experience necessary. Put your new knowledge into practice with a fishing trip to be scheduled at a later date. Visit our website for more information.
Wild Game Dinner: On March 19th, bring your appetite and join the Journeymen Outdoor Group for a wild night of dining on wild game. This year's event will feature guest speaker, Christopher Vandergoot, a marine biologist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, who will give a brief talk on The Way of the Walleye: Lessons on Life. Don't miss this opportunity to bring a friend to Parkside. Visit our website to register.
