PHOTO DIARY

As the Activities Manager at Sunriver Resort, I do LOTS of things. My main responsibilities include designing and running programs for teens, families, and corporate groups that stay at Sunriver. I plan arts and crafts, facilitate team building programs, design challenge ropes courses, organize family activities like s'more roasting and glow-in-the-dark putting, plan special events like fun runs and bike parades and dream up activities for different holidays.

There is no typical day as the Activities Manager-every day has a new program or a new task to accomplish depending on the season, the month, even the day. But this is what a day in summer might look like: I ride my bike down to work and get there around 9:30 am. The first thing I do is check my email and voicemail, correct clock in/clock out punches for my staff, check in with my counterpart at Fort Funnigan (our kids activity camp for ages 3-10) to see if there are any messages or guests that need to be followed up with, make myself a piping hot cup of green tea and start getting supplies ready for the day. Some days, I also have meetings with other managers and departments throughout the resort. When we have programs going, I help set them up, run them and tear them down. Sometimes I have time to sneak back to my desk during the event to get paperwork done. I'll try to grab a quick lunch and about 15 minutes of sunshine during the summer, and then it's back to work on special events logistics, ordering supplies or responding to emails. I help staff facilitate the afternoon arts and crafts programs, making sure ceramics are glazed, loading the kiln and then get ready to be Spike our porcupine mascot. The spring and fall are my relaxed seasons because we aren't running programs unless we have special requests from groups that are having conferences here. I usually work more of a 9-to-5 day, but try to get some ski mornings in during the spring. The spring and fall months are the times when I really concentrate on planning the programs that will be running during the holiday season or summer.

My passion for being outside started me on my career path. I grew up being outdoors and exploring the natural surroundings. When I started college, I was set on architecture, but found that being inside the classroom learning about the theories of design was not hands on enough for me. I craved an education based upon experiences and quickly transferred into the Recreation Department where I could learn about and practice the experiences that I had enjoyed since I was a child. After being at school in Idaho, I had no desire to return to my hometown of Sacramento, Calif. for summer break. I told my parents that I wanted to go to the place where I had many memorable experiences as a child and young adult, Sunriver, Ore. I applied for an Activities Leader position at the Resort. The supervisor for the position was a graduate of the same program that I was studying and hired me on. The next summer I came back as an intern and learned more about the business side of the department. After graduating from college, I experienced another side of the resort as a concierge, but was always willing to help with any recreation needs. After moving back to Idaho and working at a ski resort, I learned that the supervisor that had hired me on was being promoted to another resort. I quickly applied, got the job and moved back to Sunriver.

I love creating experiences for people and I get to do that every day when I go to work. Whether I am working hands-on with the guest or brainstorming new ideas that they might like, I am constantly thinking of how to make their vacation more memorable. To top it all off, my job is fun-I get to play games, paint faces, dress up in costumes, throw horseshoes, play black light volleyball and act like a kid. I love being a memory-maker.

Planning new activities for the holiday season, learning more and having fun.