‘It takes a village’: Meet the volunteer who found hope — and a home — at RodeoHouston

RODEOHOUSTON may be known for its concerts, carnival rides and competition in the dirt, but on Volunteer Day the spotlight turns to the people who make the entire event run. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo started with just seven volunteers back in 1932.  Today, organizers say more than 36,000 volunteers keep the rodeo moving — not just during the three-week run at NRG Park, but year-round. For Ashley Coffie, one of those volunteers, the rodeo isn’t just an annual tradition. It’s personal. Walking through the halls of NRG Center, Coffie describes the feeling of stepping into one of the biggest rodeo events in the world. “You walk in here and it’s just like, kind of like the Super Bowl of rodeo,” Coffie said.