About 6,000 people applied as volunteers to decorate the White House and Cindy Roy of northwest Missouri’s Trenton was one of about 200 volunteers chosen. She first heard about the opportunity when a former White House intern visited her during his winter break from college last year.

Photo courtesy of KTTN in Trenton

She applied in September with her sister and friend. Roy was chosen in October, but her sister and friend were not selected.

“It was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity and it would be rude to not accept an invitation from the first lady,” Roy says.

Roy says the selected volunteers were split into two groups with one helping with Christmas decorating before Thanksgiving, and the other helped after. She was in the group that helped decorate after Thanksgiving from November 23rd to 25th.

She and her husband traveled by plane to Washington, D. C. on Thanksgiving Day. All volunteers were responsible for their own travel arrangements and lodging.

Roy says a decorating plan was designed before the volunteers arrived.

“They had a very definite plan as far as what needed to be done with each tree and each room of the White House in the West Wing,” Roy says. “As volunteers, we just show up and they lead us in the right direction.”

Roy was one of only six volunteers who was also allowed to decorate the Oval Office.

She says she’s considering whether to apply again next year to decorate.

Story provided by Missourinet affiliate KTTN in Trenton