Volunteering for the American Cancer Society

This past weekend was incredibly busy, and on top of all the things we had on the calendar for our family and close to home I signed up to volunteer for the American Cancer Society.

But it wasn't just any volunteer shift.  It was a Oak Hill.

Not from Rochester?  Let me explain.  This is the golf course that hosted the Ryder Cup  the last time it was in the U.S.  And the host of this year's PGA Championship.  The club with the $100,000 initiation fee.

That Oak Hill. 

And the event- a fundraiser for Hope Lodge- was $175 a ticket.

Clearly, both the venue and the ticket price are above my means.  By a long shot.  But as a volunteer...

 I still got to dress up!

 And you know I like to dress up.  And this poor little dress I bought on e-bay hasn't seen any use yet.  $20 for a Watters & Watters gown.  Not bad!

The bow on the back was a bit bridesmaid-ish, but whatever.  It was long, it was satin, and it was dying to get out of the cramped closet.

As for my volunteer shift... that was another story.  There were way too many volunteers, so my shift at "registration" meant standing around for an hour and a half while the "real" ACS volunteers worked on the computers they were going to use to check in the guests.

When the event started I decided I better do something constructive, so I went with another volunteer to the front door to greet the guests.  But the other volunteer left, and I was joined by a few others.  Only they were "real" volunteers and staff- the event organizers and the exec. of American Cancer Society for the region.  I was completely out of place, but they were nice enough not to say anything.

After an hour of "Welcome" and "Thanks for coming!" I had dinner in the volunteer dining room.  With a glass of wine.  I'm sure it wasn't whatever they were eating in the real party, but it was pretty damn good.

Then it was back home, out of the dress, and relaxing with a cup of tea outside by the bonfire for the rest of the night.

Volunteering rocks.