*These events took place in January/February 2026.
*This post is very long, so if it is cut off, be sure to click “View Entire Message” at the end.
In honor of the 4th of July and the 250th celebration of the United States of America🇺🇸 – here’s an old story from the files that I never shared…
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“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.” Nelson Mandela
People always ask me why I’d pay my own way to volunteer at the Olympics. The answer has very little to do with sports.
In late January 2026, I found myself saying goodbye to my dad… again… at Kansas City International Airport before boarding yet another flight to Italy.
No matter how many exciting places I get to visit or incredible opportunities come my way, those airport goodbyes never seem to get any easier. I do, however, always appreciate the ride to the airport.
We also have a tradition.
We take one last photo together so that, if I ever go missing, he has a current “this is what she looked like the last time I saw her” picture ready for the police.
Practical? Yes.
Morbid? Also yes.
Back to the Olympics
I had been invited back to volunteer with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
My first Olympic experience was in Paris in 2024, where I worked at Team USA House, basically a giant FanFest. Fans could watch the competitions, enjoy food and drinks, and meet athletes after their events. It was extremely rewarding which is why I agreed to come back! I wrote everyday about my experience. Click here to read the first of many posts which are in the archives.
People often ask why I’d spend my own money to volunteer.
It’s a fair question. The answer is simple.
Team USA is a nonprofit organization, and these athletes are representing all of us. My previous career was in professional sports so I understand what it takes for these athletes to make this dream a reality – they sacrifice everything. I’m not cut out for the military, and I don’t believe my contribution to my country has to come through war or weapons. Supporting athletes who have dedicated their lives to representing the United States feels like the right way for me to give back.
Is it expensive? Absolutely.
Flights, lodging, meals, transportation, it adds up quickly.
But some experiences simply can’t be measured in dollars, and this is one of them.
Welcome to the Olympic Games
💙💛🖤💚❤️
This year I was assigned to the Team USA Welcome Experience (TUWE), which is the very first stop for American athletes after arriving in Milan.
Imagine spending your entire life chasing one dream. Then imagine walking through the doors and seeing a giant video screen filled with messages from your family and friends congratulating you on making the Olympic Games.
It’s hard not to get emotional.
Many athletes do…and so do the volunteers. I teared up a few times watching these special moments.
After the video ends, they’re guided through various sponsor experiences before having official photographs taken for Team USA.
I have no idea what the other countries do for their athletes, but Team USA has gone above and beyond to make the Welcome Experience exceptionally memorable and special for the athletes. It’s really amazing.
I was assigned to work with the Ralph Lauren team, which handled the Opening and Closing Ceremony uniforms.
The operation was fascinating.
Every athlete received a personal fitting with an onsite tailor. They would try on their uniforms, the tailor would carefully pin each garment, and then everything was sent to an onsite alteration shop before being returned to us for final preparation and delivery.
The showroom and fitting rooms looked like something out of a luxury department store, and the organization and dedication behind the scenes was remarkable.
Our job was to keep every piece of clothing organized and moving through the process before transporting the finished uniforms to athletes staying not only in Milan but also in Cortina and several other Olympic villages.
Considering Team USA had more than 200 athletes competing, it was a logistical masterpiece…or nightmare depending on your role in the process.
Thankfully, from what I heard, everyone ended up with the right outfit and nobody was naked at the ceremonies.
That alone deserves a gold medal.
Without question, the greatest part of volunteering isn’t the sporting events. Although, those are pretty cool.
It’s the people.
Many of the volunteers I met in Paris returned for Milan, and getting to see them again felt like a family reunion.
These women are smart, adventurous, generous, and endlessly positive. They’ve donated countless hours, and a fair amount of their own money to support Team USA.
Their friendship and stories inspire me every bit as much as the athletes’.
Meet Betsy.
Then there’s my roommate, Betsy.
She’s a fiery little spitfire from South Carolina, and I absolutely adore her.
We met during the Paris Olympics and clicked almost immediately.
We both love hiking Caminos, traveling, wine, laughing and joking, and saying “yes” to adventures.
This was her ninth Olympic Games.
Ninth!
She even interned for Team USA when she was in college. She is dedicated! ♥️
If we’re both lucky enough to volunteer again someday, I’m calling dibs on being her roommate.
We had an absolute blast.
I normally don’t socialize much with athletes while I’m working. When I’m on the job, I’m all business.
But one morning I accidentally struck up a conversation with Sophia Kirkby while standing at the counter of the makeshift Starbucks in the lobby.
In my defense…I had absolutely no idea she was an Olympian. She was extremely humble and seemed like your all-American girl getting a coffee.
We spent at least twenty minutes talking about pottery…one of my newest hobbies.
Only afterward did I realize she was the women’s doubles luge athlete everyone had been talking about, not only because it was her and the women’s double luge Olympic debut but she’d designed and made her own Olympic trading pin.
Olympic pin trading is serious business. Look it up. These pins sell and trade for a hefty price.
I felt a little ridiculous for not recognizing her, but Sophia couldn’t have been kinder. She even gave me one of her handmade pins.
Honestly, while it’s incredibly impressive that she’s an Olympian, I was equally fascinated that she’d been throwing pottery on a wheel since she was six years old.
Her ceramics are beautiful. I’ve tagged her Instagram above if you want to see her work.
One of the hidden perks of volunteering is that you’re usually staying somewhere far more interesting than your hometown.
Naturally, sightseeing is mandatory.
We toured Milan’s beautiful Duomo, wandered through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and visited one of the world’s greatest artistic masterpieces, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
If you’ve never read about its history, it’s fascinating. One of my favorite (and most unbelievable) facts? Centuries ago, monks cut a doorway through the bottom portion of the painting…which removed Jesus’ feet.
Seriously. What were they thinking?
We also rented a car and drove to Cortina d’Ampezzo to catch a couple of Olympic events, including curling and women’s luge.
We joined the crowd of cheering Italians as Italy captured the bronze medal in mixed doubles curling. 🥌 🇮🇹
Watching luge in person, however, is a completely different experience.
The sleds flash by so fast that if you blink, you’ve basically missed the race.
It’s exciting. It’s freezing. Dress accordingly. 🥶
By the time we arrived, I was starving, so I found myself stuffing pizza into my face while simultaneously filming a video for all of you.
I’d like to think that’s an underrated life skill. Maybe I deserve a gold medal.
A special thanks to Courtney for capturing a photo of me jamming pizza into my mouth.
And if you’re already in Italy, you might as well go visit some neighboring towns while you’re at it. We visited Verona to see the arena that would host the Closing Ceremony and, naturally, stopped by Juliet’s famous balcony.
“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”
Yes, I know it’s fictional.
Yes, I still went.
Give me a break, I was recently at the home of Shakespeare.
We also traveled to Bergamo to watch the Olympic torch relay pass through town.
Even the bakeries, cafés, and little neighborhood shops were decked out in Olympic decorations.
The excitement was contagious…and the runner was cute!
This overall experience was incredible. I can’t say enough good things about my time in Milan.
Having now volunteered at both a Summer and Winter Olympic Games, I’ve started thinking about what’s next.
If I volunteer again, I think I’d love to work at the Paralympic Games.
The more I’ve learned about what these athletes have done to overcome their challenges and I’m quite inspired.
Time will tell.
Want to Volunteer?
If this post has piqued your interest, applications for volunteer positions with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (these are different from the Team USA volunteer roles I held) open on July 14.
Volunteers from around the world are welcome to apply. Click here to read more about it.
Who knows?
Maybe I’ll see you there.
Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏
Don’t forget to like and share this post, please. Thank you.
To see more photos and videos from my adventures, follow me on social media. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Threads or connect with me on LinkedIn. New to BlueSky so check it out!
“Stop dreaming about your bucket list and start living it.” Annette White
I even got to do my own Olympic-style photo shoot…although I’m fairly certain the real Olympians looked just a little more athletic than I did.
