I work for the Living History Association at Rock Ledge Ranch. My title is store/gate manager.
What do you do there and/or what are you responsible for?
As my title implies, I manage the museum gift shop, serve as buyer, arrange for consignment items, hire staff and manage the schedules, train both store and gate staff, and of course, the good old "other duties as assigned" - which as near as I can figure means clean the restroom.
How long have you been doing this kind of work (total)? How long on the Westside?
I started managing the store around 2006. But I volunteered at Rock Ledge from 1983 until 1996 when I moved to Oklahoma and began volunteering again in 2004 when I moved back to Colorado Springs.
What do you like best about it (other than quitting time)?
The best part of my job is dealing with people- everyone from visitors, to staff and LHA members. I enjoy sharing with visitors the history of our area and the significance of the Rock Ledge Ranch site.
If you could change one thing (other than pay), what would it be?
That the people of Colorado Springs would collectively realize what a great place Rock Ledge is and vote to go back to complete city funding of the site. We have had a great response to our 2010 "Save the Ranch" campaign; but we still have 2011 and 2012 to pay for. Westside residents and LHA members have been wonderful; we just need that same kind of support from the other areas of town and El Paso County.
What part of your work did your training/education never prepare you for?
I could say none of my formal education prepared me for what I'm doing. I was a speech education major in college, with minor hours in history and theater. On the other hand, I talk to people all day about history and I wear a costume; so, maybe my education was perfect training for what I do. I just came to it in a rather "backdoor fashion."
What makes working on the Westside special?
It's the Westside!! I grew up and still live in the Security/Widefield area and the Westside was always on our summer visitor excursion list. My mother preferred shopping on the Westside and her cousins owned the Garden of the Gods Gallery on High Street. The Westside was just part of our family tradition even though we lived somewhere else.
“What do you do?” is a regular feature in the Westside Pioneer. If you know someone who has an interesting job on the Westside (but doesn’t live here), he/she might be a candidate for this column! If you know someone who might qualify, give us a call at 471-6776.
