WASHINGTON - Thousands of volunteers received their Inauguration Day assignments Monday night, only eight days before the historical event.

Fired up like an army preparing for battle, 5,000 volunteers marched into D.C.'s convention center to receive their final assignments and training for Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.

"About 85 percent of the people are going to be ushers. They are going to be stationed at Metro stations along pedestrian routes," said Kevin Griffis, spokesman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

"It makes me feel so good. I haven't volunteered since Kennedy," said Marilyn Gaizband, an Obama volunteer.

Kim Boddie doesn't care what job she is assigned, she is just happy to be a part of history. Boddie and Mary Kamuiru have just met and they've already found out they are kindred spirits, even though they come from different sides of the globe. Boddie is from Bowie, Md. and Kamuiru is from Kenya, the homeland of President-elect Barack Obama (web | news | bio) 's father.

They both are sensing the importance of this moment in history and were drawn to the nation's capital to help in anyway they could.

"I'm definitely hoping to see him, but even if I don't I'm definitely a part of this historical moment," Kamuiru said.

For Francis Atkinson, the inauguration marks the end of a long road with the Obama team. Atkinson, like many others who gathered Monday night, worked on the campaign as a volunteer. She worked across the country knocking on doors passing out flyers, urging people to vote for her candidate. Now, she has one more chance to give to the cause that has become so much a part of her life.

"I'm not going to lose the momentum because that's what it's all about," Atkinson said.

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