by Holly Golightly » Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:46 pm
I'm not sure if the link on the website takes you to Joanne or to another ITC person; I mention Joanne b/c she's always the one I end up talking to (she handles Banquet tickets, and that's how we first got acquainted, and then things just went from there). As I've never volunteered, I can't be 100% sure if she'd handle that or if someone else, like Cheryl or Starre, handles the volunteer side of things.
Now, I have to be flat-out honest about something: while the Millennium/Lakefront/whatever they're going to call it is *technically* race headquarters, it has a few disadvantages. It's not near anything other than the airport. It's not near downtown (and thus, it's not near the Ceremonial Start). The parking lot isn't large, and for a "bus-rat" like me, it's only served by one route (#7). And as someone who's occasionally hung out there for a few hours here and there, I can attest to the fact that not a lot really goes on there except waiting for news. Cheryl updates the standings whenever there's new info, but it's the same info that we all see on the 'Net. The ITC people are going to be too busy worrying about logistics to want to talk more than a few mins (believe me, I know first-hand). It's not inexpensive from what I've heard either--esp during race week, and toward the end everyone's starting to talk about either going to Nome or just going home.
So don't think "HQ" as such; instead, make a list of what matters most that you see/do, and then start working off of that list. Ask as many questions as you need to. Think of me as the equivalent of an experienced musher giving advice to a room full of rookies. OK, maybe that's cheesy of me to say it, but the intent is the same....