Who are we? We are the department on campus that must know something about everything. What we deal with: A water leak or a person in cardiac arrest. A vehicle on the sidewalk or a vehicle that was just used in a drive-by shooting. A stolen bicycle or a missing person. A building on fire or an arsonist lighting a fire. People who are happy, sad, mad, high, intoxicated, mentally ill, threatening, suicidal, disrespectful, dishonest, friendly, apologetic and helpful. We have been pushed, hit, cursed, lied to and lied about. We have been thanked, hugged, and appreciated. We are a group of people who are dedicated to making Carleton the best it can be for the people who work, study and visit here.-Noel Williams

As I get ready to leave my life at Carleton I have been doing a lot of reflecting. The above title to my blog was written by my dear friend and coworker that left us over a year ago. He really said it best when describing what it is we do in our job. So many people would assume that all I ever did at work was unlock doors and sit around.  We have always been so much more.  My job has been stressful yet rewarding. I have so many happy memories and stories that are mixed in with the sad and stressful ones.....

I have often been asked what our my funnies memories so here you go.

I have two for you that both involve chickens!

Way back when I first started working day shift I got a call from the food service that they had a person dressed in a chicken suit bothering people. When we responded to the dinning hall we found a student in a full chicken suit standing by the egg that were being served clucking at everyone that took them. It was so funny! We just asked the student to move on and stop clucking...

Two years ago I got a call that there was a chicken in one of the dorms. Apparently a student had brought it back with him after break as a joke and the chicken had been passed around from room to room and ended up in a lounge. The chicken was brought to Security and I found a home for to live out its life.

When the college bought the old Northfield Middle School we use to walk all over in it. Students were always asking if it was haunted.  Well one day this was discovered on the windows in a inner walkway in the building...

We refer to them as the ghost birds

We use to have so much fun at work. I don't even know how to describe it. When you have a stressful job you just do things to be silly sometimes.  Again in the old middle school we were given permission to take some of the old lockers to use in the Security Office. Jim, Noel and I went over one afternoon to get them. While working on them Jim laid down on the floor like he was died and I traced his body in chalk like it was a crime scene. Gosh we laughed and laughed and to this day every time we bring it up we start laughing. When I tell the story to others they don't get why we think it was so funny....I guess you had to be there :)

I've also had a lot of sad things happen while I was at work. I had so many injured, sick and mentally ill students and visitors on campus that  I had to help. I also had a student die while I was on duty. I had to perform CPR on her. It was one of the hardest days I have ever had....So I guess it is okay for us to laugh at silly things to keep us sane...

I've walked so many miles while at work. One of the perks of my job was I was not stuck in an office all day. When I was not busy I was expected to patrol the campus. So rather then just drive around I walked. It is amazing what I saw.  I walked in the heat, cold, rain and snow. 

The wild blackberries I got to pick and eat every summer on campus. 

The last two summers they brought goats on campus for weed control. They were so entertaining.  We joked that we had to go say hello to the goats every morning. 

  

When they first opened the Rec. Center on campus on a dare my boss and I both got trainers for I think a 6 week program. It was the start of my running. I ran my first race, a 5K on Thanksgiving morning with my boss that year.

And then I ran my last race with him many years later. The Mankato Half Marathon. He was always telling me that it was on his bucket list to run one so I pushed him in to signing up. He cursed me until the day he ran it and of course beat my time.

There had been a core group of us that have worked together for years, Wayne, Klay, Steve, Jim,  Noel and myself. We were a family.  When Noel passed away it rocked us to our core. We have never really recovered. We tried each and everyday to make him proud and do what we knew he would want us to do.  Last Friday after 32 years of working here the College decided to fire my boss. When I found out I was so sad and disappointed in the people that made the decision.....Our family has lost another member so senselessly...

I knew it was time to go. After 19 years to the day I will be done working at Carleton College. It has been a great ride but it is time to go. I will miss so many people but will not miss the stress and heartache that came with the job...



"There is a middle path, but it goes in only one direction: toward the light. Your light. The one that goes blink, blink, blink inside your chest when you know what you're doing is right." -Cheryl Strayed

I think the above quote says exactly what I feel... I am ready for new adventures. I will always treasure my time at Carleton but it time to move on....

Sharon