The song, “Happy,” by Pharrel Williams was blaring as I was getting ready for a day of adventure on Friday, March 18, 2016. The excitement began with attending the Dream Teachers Golf Tournament at the Copper Mill Golf Club in Zachary. Dream Teachers is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating teachers in Louisiana. They also work in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Education to honor the State Teacher of the Year. The funds raised through the golf tournament on Friday will be used to support the Teacher and Principal of the Year programs.
After arriving at the golf club, I mingled with the Dream Teachers volunteers and greeted the golfers as they signed in at the registration table. After checking in, the golfers were given a special grab bag and were treated to a delicious lunch. Many also elected to purchase raffle tickets for the fabulous door prizes that included tickets to various sporting events.
Following lunch, the golfers went to their assigned golf carts and were addresses by Denny Bond, a member of the Board of Directors for Dream Teachers. The rules for the event were reviewed and then the competition began. I hopped into a golf cart and headed to the 15th hole as this hole was extra special. If a golfer made a hole in one, he/she would have received a 24 month lease for a Mercedes Benz from Mercedes Benz of Baton Rouge. I had fun cheering on and cheering up each golfer as they attempted to make this difficult shot. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay for the award ceremony. Instead, I had more adventures ahead in New Orleans.
It was St. Tammany night at the Pelicans game on Friday. The St. Tammany Jr. High Band did a wonderful job performing the National Anthem before the start of the game. It seemed like the game had just gotten started when I had to head to a special gate to meet with Matt, the liaison for the Pelicans, and the other Teacher and Principal of the Years from St. Tammany Parish. After quick hugs, Matt escorted our eager group down to the tunnel where we had to wait until half time. The wait would have seemed much longer, but we were distracted by Olate Dogs from America’s Got Talent. Suddenly, Matt was escorting us to the court where we stood to watch the Olate Dogs performance. While the audience was enthralled with dogs’ tricks, we joked about it being a hard act to follow.
When the special show ended, we were ushered onto the center of the court. I was momentarily distracted as a Pelicans cheerleader came to stand next to me and then the announcements began. As each honoree was introduced, we waved to the crowd. Afterwards, Matt asked me if I had felt nervous. Honestly, I had not been nervous. Since I’ve learned how quickly these moments pass, I had been focused on savoring the experience. As I headed back to my seat to watch the rest of the game, there was a spring in my step and a song in my heart. Yes, I was “Happy”!
Stomp'nchat 