Orientation and the PTA

I love volunteering. I know many people have already figured that out about me. But it's true. Last year I joined another branch of the PTA. This time it's for my youngest son's high school. They had been looking for a secretary for a while and I finally decided to step up. Part way through the year I started taking minutes for the meetings when our Secretary couldn't attend meetings any more. At the end of the year she and the President stepped down. We had a person to take over as President but she had a busy summer. As did our vice-President. I didn't want a repeat of last year and few fundraisers, so I again jumped in and scheduled a year's worth of fundraisers by the time school started. I'me still working out some fine points but other-wise we are pretty set. 

Just before school began our President sent out an email saying she was asked about the New Student Orientation. I thought that is an excellent way to promote our Organization and I know people like goodies. So I put together several raffle baskets. Some I purchased, others were donated by The Watervliet Library. I even purchased candy and a jar to get sweets-lovers over.  We did really well with a few new members and lots of folks picking up membership forms while submitting tickets for the raffle. 

This motto is engraved in stone above the door of the high school where I graduated so many years ago. I feel at home here. 

My youngest daughter is my co-hort when volunteering. She normally volunteers at the library (which is how we got the items from there). It's a Mom/Daughter thing.

We were told to set the tables for the New Student Picnic and that we could decorate if we like. We opted for these beautiful yellow mums.

We reset the table outdoors for the Picnic, where we represented Shaker High and handed out school paperwork to the incoming new students. More mums, only thins time we were given them to take home after the event. 

We went home to pick up my oldest from work, since I had his van. When we got home my oldest daughter was home from work and ready to help in the kitchen. When we arrived back at school the crowd was building.

#3 in the area. It's no wonder my son loves his school so much!

At the Races!!

It's that time of year again. The Saratoga Race Track is open and the horses are off and running. The architectural firm that Ken works for (WCGS) holds their annual company picnic there every year. 2015 makes the second year that Ken has brought me along with him. We took some photos last year but never published them, so I decided to add some of them with this year's photos. 

The Race Track is amazingly beautiful!  It looks so 19th Century as you approach the gates to enter. We have our catered lunch in the air-conditioned pavilion, At the Rail, (to the far right of this photo).

The miniature jockey statues hold the names of the horses running, while retired horses have stones in the courtyard (the darker squares seen behind this fountain).

The grandstand across the walkway from our pavilion is always decorated in flowers and full of festively-dressed spectators.

Because we have to cross the walkway for the race horses to get to our pavilion, we get the privilege of petting the ushers' horses. 

(This photo is from last year, and taken by a kind woman from another party.)

This year's photo of Ken and I. Lunch was delicious and afterward we posed for this photo, taken by the wife of one of the partners in the firm.

And who could resist their smiling faces. Terry and Greg are the nicest couple. 

We popped out to watch a race that we bet on. Our horse won!

After we ate, and chatted for a while. Ken and Greg, with very little input from me, worked hard at trying to put together some trifectas, in the hopes of winning. 

We all went out to the track to see if our horses would win. Some more of the partners, Woody with his wife JulieAnn, and Pete with his wife Mary came out to cheer us on.

They didn't, but it was exciting to watch.

Looking up at the announcer's booth on top of the grandstand.  

I would never go up there! It looks terrifying.

I actually borrowed this photo from the local news station's twitter feed.

Deere Races at the track.

And another borrow. One of Ken's co-workers shared this on a former co-worker's Facebook wall. I borrowed it from her. 

The only proper use of Coors Light.

Last year I was new to the family known as WCGS, so I didn't interact much with any of Ken's co-workers. The one that I did know had broken her ankle on the way across the parking lot and didn't make it to the picnic. No they didn't shoot her, although many of us wondered. This year, Ken was a lot more open and I was comfortable around everyone. So we had a wonderful time talking to everyone!  

So there you go. A condensed version of the many photos taken during two years of company picnics. We did manage to win $6.80 this year!! Woo-Hoo!!!  We aren't sure how we will spending our vast winnings, but I'll try to let you know what we decide on.