Scene: Wednesday morning. The soon-to-be arriving group is running late. The Grace Adventures staff has completed all tasks that need to get done in preparation for the group’s arrival. Kari and Nick are sitting at computers on one side of the program office, and Michelle is at Program Director Ben’s computer, all three working on various tasks.
Ben (as heard over Nick’s Nextel): Cheri has just informed me that the cabins have not been unlocked yet. If you would, send Michelle to go unlock Cabins 1-5 and 7-11.
I drop what I’m doing and head out to unlock cabins. Upon entering Cabin 1, I find a doubled up mattress, waterbottle, Mt. Dew can, dirty socks, and a terribly dirty floor. While trying to figure out who to call, in walk 2 faculty members of the group about to arrive…and Ben.
Me (eyes wide with concern and an urgent voice): Ben, this cabin is not clean.
As the faculty members leave, Ben pulls out his Nextel and beeps someone to inform them Cabin 1 is not clean. We quickly check cabins 1-5 and discover that none of them are clean. I rush off to check and unlock Cabins 7-11.
Ben (into Nextel): Stephanie, grab everyone, we’ve got to get these cabins clean.
At this point it is noon. The group is expected to arrive at 12:30. Generally, cleaning 5 cabins can take an hour or two. This is an issue. Kari, Nick, Jason, Becky, Ben, and I clean…firefighter style (that is, as fast as we can while still being thorough).
Stephanie (as we finish): Did anyone time that? Did anyone time that?
Me: Around 27 minutes!
The buses pull in about 5 minutes after we finish.
Rewind. It is Labor Day weekend, Sunday. Every week all summer, roughly 850 folding chairs have been painstakingly set up and torn down. This is the LAST day of the year they will be torn down…it’s a big day!
The timer is set and everyone rushes off to work. Putting the last chairs in the closet, grabbing the strays, closing the door and sitting down on the gym floor the watch stops at 19 minutes and 36 seconds. Go Team!
Yeah that’s right, we have fun while we work, here at Grace Adventures!
