Ark. First Lady Waitresses for Charity

When the tips were tallied, Arkansas first lady Janet Huckabee had helped earn $1,838.70 as a waitress – all for charity.

“We were on our feet all night,” Huckabee said Friday morning, after doing the overnight shift at Waffle House. “I think we sat down one time for 15 minutes. I can tell I have stood up for 10 hours.”

Huckabee, along with current and former state beauty queens, waitressed at the west Little Rock restaurant from 9 p.m. Thursday until 7 a.m. Friday to raise money for the Florence Crittenden Home. The charity helps unwed mothers.

“I had a great time,” said Huckabee, who had five minutes of training for the task. “We learned a lot. I did some grilling and the waffles.”

Some patrons left $5 and $10 for the waitresses, one man left a wad of cash. Huckabee’s name was on the marquee out front.

“My children came in and they left me a tip,” Huckabee said. “That was special. I had my picture taken. I had autographs.”

Later, an exhausted Huckabee rushed off in the Waffle House uniform to give a speech.

“This was constant standing and I can feel it,” she said.