OCTOBER 16, 2015, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
KeizerCommunity
Holiday He’s a diamond in the rough
bazaar
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Nov. 6
The Salem Hospital Aux-
iliary will kick off the 2015
holiday season with a holiday
craft bazaar on Friday, Nov. 6,
in Building D on the Salem
Hospital campus.
Twenty-fi ve vendors will
offer holiday gifts and decora-
tions. The bazaar will run from
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the lobby
of Building D which is home
to the Family Birth Center
on Oak Street. Free parking
is available at the hospital’s ga-
rage on Capitol St. S.E., south
of Oak Street.
A percentage of sales will
benefi t the Auxiliary’s scholar-
ships and special projects. For
more information call 503-
364-7785.
MEN at MHS
Male Ensemble Northwest
(MEN)will perform a con-
cert to McNary High School
beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday,
Oct. 17.
Tickets are $7 for preferred
seating and $5 general seating
and available at the door or
the McNary main offi ce.
MEN is visiting the school
as part of an all-day, all-male
choral music festival. Jim
Taylor, director of choirs at
McNary, is part of the MEN
group.
All festival donors will re-
ceive complimentary seats to
the Festival Concert featuring
the Festival Chorus and MEN
from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Contributions via charge
and debit cards can be made
by contacting Leah Garro at
503-551-7392 or e-mail, mc-
naryfi nearts@gmail.com
SALEM
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
After nearly 29 years
working at a plywood mill,
John Bail found himself a
49-year-old frantically look-
ing around for a new line of
work.
The Keizer resident even-
tually found a job as a heavy
haul truck driver for Swift
Transportation. His effort
was recently recognized as
John was honored with a
Diamond Award from the
company. Of the more than
18,000 drivers in the com-
pany, only 1 percent get the
award.
Not bad, especially con-
sidering the dilemma he was
in 15 years ago.
The Arizona-based truck-
ing company fl ew John and
wife Charlotte to Salt Lake
City last month to be feted,
along with other drivers be-
ing honored. John got sev-
eral personalized polo shirts,
a backpack fi lled with items
including two fl ashlights,
a crystal miniature truck, a
large blanket and a certifi cate.
In addition, Charlotte got a
$100 gift card. This is the
third year for the diamond
program.
“I didn’t know anything
about it until my manager
called and said, ‘I heard you’re
diamond.’ I said, ‘I am?’ I
didn’t know. Our terminal
manager got us included.
The owner of the company
(Jerry Moyes) fl ew diamond
drivers and their spouses to
Salt Lake City on Sept. 26
and put us up at the Mar-
riott. We had a banquet with
awards and a nice dinner. We
were recognized at the ban-
quet. The new inductees got
fabulous gifts.”
John typically gets up at
KEIZERTIMES/Craig Murphy
John Bail with wife Charlotte at their Keizer home. John is holding the crystal truck he received
for being honored as a Diamond Driver, only 1 percent of Swift drivers received the award.
2 p.m. and gets to his truck
in Brooks around 5. He starts
work around 6 p.m., often
driving up to cities in Wash-
ington for stores like Winco
and Costco before heading
to Albany for a last load and
then heading home at 8 a.m.
and repeating the process
each week day.
“As long as you have a
regular routine you do all the
time, that makes so much dif-
ference in making the adjust-
ment (to driving all night),”
John said. “Being home ev-
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ery day is great. There are a
lot of drivers out there who
would kill for my job.”
The diamond award is a
new top level. After starting
at the bronze level, drivers
have the chance to move up
to silver, gold and then plati-
num.
“You have to do well to
make it to gold,” John said.
“You have to drive almost
perfect to go to platinum.
Then you have to have three
perfect years to make dia-
mond. That means no cita-
tions or accidents, on-time
pick-up and deliveries. You
have to be safe and on time.”
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Among other things,
meeting that criteria leads to
a lower CSA (Compliance,
Safety and Accountabil-
ity program) score and keeps
costs lower for Swift.
In June 2000, the mill
John had worked at for 28
years and 10 months was
closed. It was suggested John
try his hand at driving a
truck and he took advantage
of a government program for
displaced mill workers to do
just that. After six weeks of
training, John had his CDL
(Commercial Driver’s Li-
cense) and drove a truck for a
recycling company in Salem.
But after 18 months, he was
looking for work again.
“I looked for work for two
years,” John said. “I had appli-
cations in everywhere. There
were a lot of jobs I didn’t
want to do but I applied for
them because I wanted to
work.”
John had heard nega-
tive stories about working
at Swift and dragged his feet
for a while. He fi nally applied
and was hired in July 2003.
Early on he was asked to do
some Costco runs to Wash-
ington.
“I was on time, so they
kept me,” John said. “I pre-
fer this type of haul. A lot
of drivers live for rumbling
down the interstate every-
where. I’m not one. I like do-
ing my job, come home, have
a home meal, go back the
next day and do my job.”
Charlotte likes the ar-
rangement as well – after
all, her husband is home if a
project needs to be taken care
of. She also doesn’t mind the
recognition he got.
“I am very proud of him,”
Charlotte said. “The evenings
can get lonely, but this defi -
nitely makes up for it. I know
Swift appreciates the drivers.
Jerry Moyes gave a nice talk
recognizing the heavy haul
drivers. He really appreciates
the diamond drivers. Swift
has been very good to John.”
John said success is due to
support from offi ce crews and
terminal manager who take
care of the planning, all the
way up the ladder to Moyes.
“They
always
come
through,” John said. “Some-
thing else I like about Swift
is they are one of the compa-
nies that say if it is not safe to
drive, pull off. If it’s so dan-
gerous, you can pull off and
that’s fi ne.”
John fi gures he’ll keep
driving as long as he can safe-
ly do so.
“I don’t foresee retiring,”
he said. “I can’t see me sitting
here watching TV every day.
I’m not ready to retire.”
Charlotte looked at her
husband of 24 years and
smiled.
“Swift is not ready for him
to retire, either,” she said.
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WorshipDirectory
These Salem-Keizer houses of worship invite you to visit.
Call to list your church in our Worship Directory: (503) 390-1051
John Knox Presbyterian Church
JOIN US FOR
SUNDAY WORSHIP
8:30 am • 10 am • 11:30 am • 6 pm
PEOPLESCHURCH
4500 LANCASTER DR NE | SALEM
503.304.4000 • www.peopleschurch.com
Celebration
Services
Saturday Evening
6:00 pm
Children’s Programs, Student and Adult Ministries
1755 Lockhaven Dr. NE Keizer
503-390-3900
www.dayspringfellowship.com
Sunday Morning
9:00 am
and
10:45 am
452 Cummings Lane North • 393-0404
Father Gary L. Zerr, Pastor
Saturday Vigil Liturgy: 5:30 p.m.
Sundays: 8:15 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
La Misa en Español: 12:30 p.m.
Rev. Dr. John Neal, Pastor
Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Education Hour - 10:00 a.m.
Nursery Care Available
www.keizerjkpres.org
Jason Lee UMC
820 Jeff erson St. NE
Salem OR 97301
Dr. Jon F. Langenwalter, Pastor
The church with the purple doors
503-364-2844
Worship at 9:30 am • Child Care Available
Faith Lutheran Church
4505 River Rd N • 393-4507
Sunday Schedule:
9:00 a.m. Children’s Church
9:15 a.m. Adult Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Children’s Activities
Pastor
Virginia Eggert 10:30 a.m. Worship with Communion