22
in other words
june16
2016
Voices In My Head:
Look Away Wavers
By P.J. O’Leary
Does it seem to you that there
are more “look away” wavers these
days?
Look aways are the people who
know that because they live in a small
town they are, in their minds at least,
bound by an expectation of familiarity.
Look aways fall into two
distinct categories, and I suspect that
neither would want to be confused with
the other. The first group is primarily
male, and could be best described as
painfully, begrudgingly friendly if push
comes to shove. For them, eye contact
and a smile are a signal of genetic
weakness. Better to avert the eyes and
prepare for battle while lifting two
fingers above the wheel.
The second, and considerably
larger group, consists of those who look
away as they wave because of the very
real fear that they may wave and smile
and get NOTHING back.
If you’re new to Vernonia, allow
me to toss you this piece of advice. You
cannot lose with a look and wave. At
worst, the person passing the other way
sees the wave too late and feels like a
dink. That’s a win/not lose situation, so
don’t be the one left holding the bag.
I should add that there are
people in town who, while wonderful
people, are “absolutely under no
circumstances” wavers. Some are just
incredibly focused individuals, while
others are legally blind and have not
had an “actual“ driver’s license in many
years.
Still best to wave though. What
could it hurt?
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Internship Program Earns Two
Ranger Jobs continued from front page
restrooms, mowing and weed eating, including safety training on equipment,
opening and closing day use areas, and learning how to properly and efficiently
even presenting interpretive programs. clean rest rooms, and learning “verbal
Steward is working this season as the judo” where they acquire the skills to
present a standard
assistant to Jim
message to visitors
Addington, the Park
and deal with difficult
Operations Manager.
guests.
Skanes is working
Skanes says
on camp duty on
his experience as
the night shift this
an intern has really
season and enforces
helped prepare him for
rules and performs
the job world. “The
other duties in
training is great and
the campgrounds.
they really teach us
Miller says that the
how to do things the
park usually rotates
right way and up to
the PRAs so they
state standards. They
gain
experience
teach us to work hard
working
in
a
and teach us a great
variety of positions
work ethic.”
with
different
Steward says
r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s
he has really enjoyed
throughout
the
seeing the park change
season. “They never
and mature over the
do the same thing in
Bridger Steward performing
several years he has
a day, there is always
park maintenance at Stub
Stewart State Park
worked there. In fact
some variety,” says
he was part of the color guard as a cub
Miller.
Miller says if a PRA comes scout for the grand opening ceremony
back for another season, normally they at the park back in 2007. “It’s been
will be put in a different position so they really interesting being here for the
can cross train and gain more skills. “If grand opening, then getting hired for
they show an interest in developing a the internship, and coming back now
certain skill or working in a certain area and seeing the full spectrum of what
of the park, like trail building, we try to goes on here,” says Steward. “I’ve
really had a chance to see how the park
give them that opportunity.”
PRAs receive a wide range has changed over the years. It’s been an
of training during their orientation, awesome experience.”
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