RailPark In Retrospect
By: Alyssa Guidugli
Hi there! My name is Alyssa Guidugli, and you may not have seen my face, but you have definitely gotten an email from me! I primarily do the marketing for the RailPark, among other fun things.
I started at the RailPark in January of this year. I had no idea what it entailed; I just knew I had wanted to be part of the team for a few years. When I started, we were well into Romance at the RailPark. All I knew was that we were celebrating Valentine fun! I had created some social posts promoting the event, so I was not completely in the dark. Before I knew it, BOOM, the event was here. With this being my first event, I was naturally nervous as I just wanted to do a good job and make a good impression. Between the hustle in the dining car for food, taking photos, playing a movie, dancing, and ELVIS, the night was over! I had successfully finished my first event.
Moving forward to the other events, I had a little more preparation to ensure I knew completely what I was doing. Granted, I’m human, mistakes will always be made, and I will always be learning! This was the first event I had an auction attached to. And let me say this, auctions can be DAUNTING, but it is so rewarding to see all your hard work come to fruition. Sip & Putt was as fun as I had witnessed winners and losers, but everyone left a victor that night, including me!
BG Wine Fest sure knew how to make an entrance, that’s for sure! With the number of people, the heat, the wine, and the auction, we certainly were never bored. This event was one I knew would leave me exhausted at the end of the day, but I was proud of a lot of great photographs I had taken. The candid moments are the ones you can’t pass by. On top of that, our vendors were all INCREDIBLE. This was the first event I felt a deeper appreciation for vendors, as I had not worked with them much before. Also, one of the best burgers I have ever had was at one Wine Fest – make a note for next year!
After Wine Fest, the rest of the year came in a BLINK. Before I knew it, Rendezvous was right around the corner. Now this is one event that I was super excited about because of the theme. Who wouldn’t want to dash the night away with Gatsby? With all the décor, the marketing, and the costumes, we all had the best time. The auction was a huge success, and I was so proud of all the hard work I poured into it.
And finally, the end of the year. With the holidays at the forefront of the end of the year, so come the final events. Light Up The Depot was such a really cool spectacle. I am a sucker for Christmas lights as is, but to be able to witness them at work, it truly was a smashing time. Hearing a solid choir perform with the lights is never bad either.
Closing out the year, we have our Polar Express. I was truly expecting to be a lot more stressed than I was, but it has been running smoothly. I know our wonderful team and amazing volunteers contribute to that success. It’s always good to see the families get into the spirit of Christmas. I truly love seeing all of the magic come alive.
With my first year coming to an end, I can honestly say that I have learned so much. It has truly been a rewarding experience, and I love my team, that will make all the difference. I knew sending that email was the right decision because I would not trade this past year at the RailPark for anything.
