Volunteering isn't just about doing good and feeling good.  It can also be about the unpublicized benefits, too.  Volunteers not only receive free t-shirts, coffee mugs and, say, the extra roll of poop bags (see my artilcle, click here).  Volunteers can also sit at VIP tables, rub elbows with otherVIPs and make some good connections.  This happened to me last night at the University of Denver's 13th annual Korbel Dinner.

Because I volunteer with my alma mater's local alumnae chapter, I get invited to some really cool parties.  This translates into great networking opportunities, good food, lots of fun as well as some good stories to tell.  The story I have to tell today: The Denver nightlife teamed with State Department dignitaries last night which attracted quite a few of the local politicians, including Mayor John Hickenlooper who is currently campaigning for governor and has a great TV ad hitting their airwaves.  More than a few people commented on his shower scene.  (Click here to view.)

Rubbing elbows with the likes of Condoleezza Rice and Madelaine Albright, sipping champagne with Ambassador Christopher Hill, living it up at the Hyatt's Peak Lounge with Mayor Hickenlooper, Miller Coors President Kielyand his wife and founder of Women with a Cause. 

Interesting to note how small the world is.  Madelaine Albright's father, Josef Korbel, came to Denver and started DU's Graduate School of International Studies.  Condoleeza, then living in Denver and attending DU as a music major, after taking some classes from Korbel, changed her major to Russian Studies.  Skip some years later, when Madelaine was working on some political campaigns as advisor (I believe this was the Dukakis campaign), called Condi to see if she'd like to help, and was surprised when Condi told her that she was a Republican.  Too bad.

The two women joked that Madelaine was the first female Secretary of State, and ever since then it seems that women will forever more be in charge of that Department.  To paraphrase Condi, "What once seems unimaginable, with faith and hope and years looks like the inevitable with hindsight."  Maybe yes. 

The new dean of the Korbel school, Ambassador Christopher Hill will be moving to Denver just as soon as possible.  With the complete pull out of US troops, it's a great time to transistion the post.  And, after 33 years with the State Department Hill is beginning a new career in academia.  He seems like a nice guy.  We hope to have him keynote our alumnae event this fall.

Yes, there were the dry jokes about learning Polish and Croatian, or was it Bosnian? I couldn't relate.  But the evening was elegant.  The food was outstanding.  The company stellar.  And, my reward for volunteering was a free and fun evening out with all my friends from school.  Yes, volunteering has it's rewards and they can be great.