HM employees swung into action in July at the U.S. Women's Open at Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pa. Partnering with the Lupus Foundation, an HM team of 10 volunteered behind the concession stand to serve cold drinks and sandwiches to event spectators while raising money for a great cause.

Temperatures near 100 degrees with high humidity made the group's service work a challenge, but their cooperative spirit and dedication carried them through the day. After going through a crash course on food handling and sanitation regulations, the HM team was up and running with the same eagerness and enthusiasm they bring to the office each day.

Working the concession stand nearest to the event entrance meant that HM employees also were hospitality ambassadors for many guests, providing smarter answers faster when patrons had questions about the course, players or the day’s activities. With HM's team and other food service volunteers, the Lupus Foundation was able to handle the operations in the concession tents for PROM, the event’s catering company. PROM, in turn, contributed the value of the labor back to the Lupus Foundation in the form of a donation.

Major events such as the U.S. Women's Open are significant fundraising opportunities for non-profit organizations like the Lupus Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting and leading efforts for finding a cure for lupus and helping people who are affected by the disease. Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body.

HM's Employee Engagement team is responsible for increasing volunteerism initiatives across the company and planned the U.S. Women’s Open volunteer opportunity. Many HM employees are comfortable volunteering for organizations like the Lupus Foundation because of the volunteer culture that exists within HM, where employees are encouraged to organize events and get involved in community outreach programs.

As the HM team ended their service project, they compared their day's success to that of Paula Creamer's big win.  And, although they were not leaving Oakmont with the 65th U.S. Women's Open trophy, they did have reward in their hearts that their labor might help advance the research, education and awareness of lupus.

Pictured above at the Women's U.S. Open entrance: (left to right) Kortney Holloway, Brenda Besket, Yvette Fulton, Jeff McCormick, Judy Lowry, Dolly Cartlidge, Rachael Hall, Terri Szymanski, George Rusnak; at the counter: Judy Lowry, Brenda Besket, Rachael Hall, Dolly Cartlidge, Yvette Fulton; serving beverages: Kortney Holloway and Jeff McCormick