"Oh... We're VIP!"

A couple weeks ago a friend from Dick's Sporting Goods offered me several passes to a practice round at the US Women's Open (golf) to be used for LAMP. The Open is being held here in Pittsburgh, and the passes included entrance into Dick's VIP lounge at the event. I tried for a while to offer the tickets to any other LAMP mentors who might be interested, but as time went on it appeared that I would be taking matters into my own hands. I didn't want the passes to go to waste, so today I picked up four LAMP boys from Homewood and off we went on what I had described to them as "a new adventure." I kept the destination a secret until we got there because I didn't think "boys, we're going to a ladies golf tournament" would go over very well.

I broke the news to them when we arrived at the golf course, and their first (and very important) question was, "will there be any hot girls here?" Well, I thought, I guess that's all relative. Other comments included, "it's too hot (it was 95 degrees and humid today), I'm thirsty, it's too far to walk," and so on and so on. My reply was, "just wait... I have a special surprise for you guys. You are VIP guests of this golf course today." It turns out that the VIP lounge was on the exact opposite end of the golf course. On the way there we paused at the practice range to watch Jerome "the Bus" Bettis hit a few golf balls with local legend Arnold Palmer. The boys weren't really impressed. "It's so hot out here!" And then... all of us weary desert wanderers stumbled upon the mysterious oasis that was the Dick's Sporting Goods VIP lounge. The doors swung open and cold air blasted our sweaty faces. The hostesses greeted us and offered us anything that we could have possibly wanted to eat or drink. Unlimited ice cream. Free collectibles were all around us. Flat screen TVs adorned the walls in all directions. Computers with internet access were available. We could choose any number of air conditioned seats from which to watch golfers play past along the seventeenth hole. I'm pretty sure angels were singing in the background of the lounge. Phrases like "I'm staying here forever" and "best day of my life" were thrown around.

We were the last ones to leave the tent (we closed the place down following a last call for ice cream). The long walk back to the shuttle bus which took us back to my car was not so bad. One lady on the shuttle bus said, rather enviously, to one of the boys, "Where'd you get all that stuff?" He replied confidently, "Oh... we're VIP!" I guess she didn't recognize greatness when she saw it...

This ended up being such a special day for the LAMP kids, and I mention that because I was surprised by a comment that my friend who had given me the passes told me shortly after we arrived in the VIP room. She mentioned that she was so happy to see our LAMP kids, because none of the other kids' charities who had been given tickets had actually brought any kids. The adult leaders of those organizations used the tickets for themselves and their families or friends. How sad is that? Nobody brought any actual kids? Just think about what those kids missed out on? I'm so glad I was able to take the LAMP kids. It was an amazing day!