It’s early September, and our fishing season is winding down now. The entire staff has worked hard the past four months and deserved a little break and some recognition for everything they have contributed to the team over the summer. So Tuesday night we were treated to a staff party with food and drinks, music, gifts, games, and prizes.
This was the fourth APC staff party I’ve attended, in as many years. Some of the people have changed over the years, and the games and prizes were different as well, but it’s always a treat to see everyone out of “work mode” and just relaxing and enjoying one another’s company.
The local Elks Lodge, where the party was held, was brightly decorated with helium balloons, candles, and colorful table cloths, adding to the fun party atmosphere. We played several games – some guessing games, and others that required more active participation. Captain Mike White won our fish weight guessing contest; he was only off by one tenth of a pound! There was also the annual contest between the captains and deckhands, which the captains ruled at this year. The “Fish Box Boat Race” was a smashing success, as well as the gag gift exchange and a couple of rounds of Bingo.
The staff party is also a time when special awards of recognition are handed out to people who really excelled during the summer. Some of the more notable ones included:
Captain of the year: Johnny Belcher
Deckhand Rookie of the Year: Mike, Captain EJ’s deckhand
APC Team Player: Karan
Beach Crew Rookie of the Year: Dustin
The staff also had a chance to recognize Theresa, our boss, and thank her for all the care and hard work she has put into making this her 21st successful season in business.
Now it’s time to re-focus and get back to work. The lodge needs to be deep-cleaned and everything needs to be put away for the winter. There are only a few days left of fishing and clients here, and then most of the staff will be going home, while the (much smaller) year-round staff gets busy booking clients for the summer 2011 fishing season.
If you are interested in booking for next summer, please contact us via our online contact form, email us at info@wildstrawberrylodge.com, or call us at 1-800-770-2628 .
