A Note Of Thanks

Received from Marilyn Darling, this letter is reason for all Mount Rainier Volunteers to glow with pride:

This is to express my appreciation for all the help Gayle Eads and her VIPs gave the interps at Sunrise this summer. Gayle worked tirelessly to produce a well-organized, well-informed and efficient corps of VIPs who complemented the work our limited staff had to do. When we arrived from Ohana on busy weekend mornings, the first thing we saw would always be Gayle and other VIPs stationed around the parking lot answering questions. And as we left for the day, she’d often still be on station, still hard at work.

Throughout the day, VIPs would report in with trail and flower reports. Often they were the only people available when extra help was needed, either in the Visitor Center when we were short-staffed, or on the trail. Everyone pitched in immediately, without hesitation and with great good cheer to do what needed to done, and then they went their individual ways, often before we could thank them. One memorable afternoon VIP (and Nurse) Suzie Fish-Sadin made it down from Frozen Lake to the Emmons Vista trail in little over 15 minutes, well ahead of the EMTs from White River, to tend a woman who had fainted on the trail. I was on scene and very relieved to see her approaching (apparently not even out of breath) and so were our EMTS when they arrived!

Now that the season is over and I’m leaving I wish I could thank all these good folks in person. We would have been in big trouble without their help! It is a testament to Gayle’s dedication, hard work, and sense of responsibility that the VIPs were so well organized. And it’s thanks to Gayle and her troops that so many things went smoothly at Sunrise!