Other Duties as Assigned: Mascot Part 1

A few years ago, I was special events director for an organization that had a peer-to-peer bowling event. Each year the event had a different theme and this particular year was dinosaurs (it wasn’t too long after the new Jurassic Park, so we figured it would appeal to kids and adults).

Part of my job was visiting sponsoring companies at their staff meetings to promote the event and sign their staff up to fundraise. In a brainstorming meeting, my boss asked for ideas to “spice up” these pitch meetings.

Naturally, I said “challenge accepted” and ordered an inflatable T-Rex costume to wear to every. single. meeting. YUP. I wore that dino suit to staff meetings at major tech companies, into the conference rooms of law offices and financial firms, at networking happy hours with the local chamber - even our own staff meetings!

Most people laughed and smiled and admired the “above and beyond” quality of the meeting, but then sat back in disbelief when they realized that I was giving the entire presentation in the suit, SHOUTING over the whirring fan strapped to my side.

If I’m being honest, I’m not totally sure it made any difference in how many teams signed up, but it was so fun to throw fundraising caution to the wind and make the world hear me roar about our amazing mission!

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A few years later, I worked for another organization that had an old mascot costume they used for a previous year’s gala. My boss jokingly told me that as the newest hire, I would have to wear the costume. She was definitely surprised when I said “Awesome! When do I get to wear it??” in response.

- Astoria

Florida