Has anyone ever volunteered for the PTA?

I like to volunteer for my son's school when I can.  Last night I volunteered at the "holiday family party".  I feel like every time I show up to an event and say I'm here to volunteer they all look at me like I have two heads.  It's like they're confused and no one knows what to do.  Nobody gives any direction on what I can be doing to help and I have to constantly ask someone, anyone "is there anything I can be doing to help right now?".

So this one woman hands me two tubs of sprinkles and asks me to pour them into some bowls.  OK.  10 secs later I'm done.  What can I do now?  She hands me tablecloths and asks me to put them on the tables.  OK.  5 min later I'm done.  What can I do now?  No one knows.  I'm not the only one standing around looking like a dumb ass.  There is NOBODY that knows what is going on or what each individual should be doing.  At one point when I was standing around doing nothing looking like a dumb ass someone asked me "Now Debbie, what are you going to be doing?"  REALLY?  I had made the decision myself that I was going to volunteer in the Holiday shop.  It is really annoying.  It kind of makes me dread volunteering.

There is always the one lady that has her one little job and that's all she'll do.  One Mom announced "I'm ready at my station".  Standing in front of the chips and candy bars.  Not helping do anything else.  Why are you here?

Now you have to understand that most of these volunteer Moms have been volunteering together for years.  They all know each other and I don't know any of them.  There is one Mom that is there for every single thing the school does.  Daytime events, she's there.  Nighttime events, she's there.  And all these ladies like to stand around and bitch about the teachers and the principal and about how much "work" they do for the PTA.  Could you imagine bitching about something that you VOLUNTEER for?  Nobody forced you to be part of the PTA.

I mean is it really too much of me to expect that when I show up to an event that someone should know what I should be doing?  YOU - you're doing the ice cream station.  YOU - you're selling sweatshirts/tshirts.  YOU - you're cleaning bathrooms.  OK, I don't want that job.  Take your task and run with it and help out others as needed.  It doesn't seem that hard to me.  The PTA has been around for many years you would think they would have their shit together by now.  Come on people!  Ugh, the things I do for my kids, I tell ya...

Now I ask you again, could you imagine bitching about something that you volunteer for??