City officials and convention and visitors bureaus around the country are always amazed that the Church can administer the Feast of Tabernacles so efficiently and at such low cost. The really amazing thing is the efficiency because so many people volunteer to help.

Have you ever attended a major sports event, the circus, a musical concert or other public activities where hundreds and thousands of people gather? Those parking attendants, ushers, sound crew and personnel behind the information desk are normally not volunteers. It's a combination of part-time and full-time help.

Without the hundreds of volunteers at the Feast every year, the cost could become prohibitive to even sponsor our annual highlight of the year. As just one example, some auditoriums and meeting halls charge expensive rates to run their sound system. A four-hour minimum charge is normal even though our service is only two hours long.

Accolades go out especially to those running the sound systems and the cybercasting. Operating the sound system would be the greatest single additional cost if the Church had to pay for this professional service. In the United States alone, the sound crew volunteers probably save the Church between $30,000 and $50,000. Also, often our sound crews provide their own equipment, which saves even more expense.

If you hear a great sermon at the Feast this year, thank the sound technicians in addition to the speaker. And thanks to everyone else who helps make the Feast enjoyable for others.

—Charles Melear