I remember being 12 or 13 and learning a valuable lesson from Rick Worrell and Chris Morris while preparing to leave on a Trailblazer trip. The lesson was about treating all people with respect, whether they were a maintenance worker, a kitchen staff member, or the van driver, because all of those folks worked hard to make sure we had a good experience at Camp. Years later, I came across this passage and I was reminded of that lesson.
“During my second year of nursing school our professor gave us a pop quiz. I breezed through the questions until I read the last one. “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times, but how would I know her name?
I handed in the paper, leaving the last question blank. Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our grade.
“Absolutely,” the professor said. “In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.”
“I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.”
by Joann Jones
I never forgot that lesson, either. Our van driver’s name was Roy.
Brent Birchler
Boys Camp Director