Mixing with the big shots

When Dan Walker took office as Illinois Governor in 1973, he invited all of his campaign volunteers to the Inauguration. It wasn’t just an event for politicians and big contributors. The place was filled with campaign workers and people who had not been included in previous celebrations.

I drove down to Springfield with my teenage cohorts and wandered the halls of the State of Illinois building, listening to the live music of rock bands and networking with other volunteers.

Six of us crammed into two hotel rooms for an overnight stay in Decatur, thirty minutes away – the closest place where we could make a last-minute reservation.

I still have the printed invitation from the event.