Behind The Scenes

Every year since our first, we have hired summer help. In fact, our first winter we hired a young man to help us during the winter. However, winter business is just too spotty to justify hiring help - so now our helpers are snowbirds (usually, literally).

How important are these people? This year we had a chance to not only 'guestimate' - we experienced how important they are! These unsung heros are often what makes or breaks the quality of our service and the friendliness of our attitudes - especially come late August and into September! Believe me, good quality help are the oil on the cogs to a business like ours.

Each year our summer help has changed. While this means we have to 'train' new people each summer, it also means we have been able to hand-pick the skill areas we wish to highlight. While cooking and cleaning are a MUST, sometimes a talented hand on the business end of a hammer is quite helpful. This was one of those years.

So we hired Joel and Skeeter. Or maybe I should say, Joel and Skeeter and Cody (their dog). For the last two years we have hired three people to help us through the summer. This year was no exception. However, while we hired 'three' people, the summer's unpredictable nature (due, mostly, to the unpredictable economy) had us backing out on our third person in May.

In the end, Karen did come - for a brief sabbatical - but, sadly, we failed to get a group photo while she was here.

Joel turned out to be great with a hammer - and any number of construction tools. His skills were definitely a plus on Craig's end. Skeeter was great kitchen help and a wonderful waitress. Her soft southern drawl and friendly attitude made our guests feel right and home.

But, like I said, we learned just how important our summer helpers are this year. Mid July Skeeter's father's health took a turn for the worse. To make a long story short, she needed to go home. After she left, Joel tried to spread himself around to fill in as many gaps as possible. But, alas, he just wasn't the waitress-type :-)

No, really, he was great help, but we were far too short-handed. Then, when Skeeter returned, it was only to help us through a particularly busy weekend, and then to help Joel pack up so they could leave.

With both of them gone, Craig and I found out (in case we really didn't know), how much we depend on our summer helpers. And, while God was very gracious and we made it through a ridiculously crazy weekend by ourselves, we not only miss Joel and Skeeter for their handy skills, we miss them for their hands!

And so, with one more busy weekend to go, we look forward to the fall and the season winding down. We are thankful to all of you for your patronage. In spite of being unpredictable, we are thankful to say we have had a good year. We are already looking forward to seeing many of you again next year, here at Elk Lake Resort.

Lady of the Lake