Page 59 - Flathead Beacon // 10.7.15

Thomas Kemppainen of ThoCmaos lKuempbpaiaineFn oaf lClsolurmebciaeFnalltslyrecently
year, was enrolled in the HeMthiellnwwraisgahMtiltlwrariginhte1,ea porsoitigonrahemhe.ld for
caught “the big one” from
He then was a Millwright
caught “the big one” from the banks of Valdez,
7 years. In 2007, he applied for a Production
Alaska. His fishing camp was buzzing with more
Supervisor position, and was given the job. He
the banks of Valdez, Alaska.
1, a position he held for 7
than silver and red salmon and halibut. He
held that for 5 years before getting promoted to
His fishing camp was
years. In 2007, he applied
learned that he was the winner of LC Staffing’s th
Log Yard Supervisor in 2012, a position that he
30 baunnzivzeirnsagry cwonitehst!more than silver and red salmon and
cufrorerntaly hPolrdos.dInu2c0t1i4o,nheSwauspalesorgviviesnotrhe
“I retrieved a phone message on my cell from
Rig Shop Supervisor role. He’s grateful to be part
LC Shtaaffilnibg.uItfi.guHreed itlehadrtnoebedsotmheathting
job. He held that for 5 years
hewasthewinnerofLC
pobsietiofnoarsePlgyweototdinPrgodpucrtiomnSouptervdisor,
important. I called back. When told that I was
the top winner, I remember saying right on,
to Log Yard Supervisor in W2he0n1as2k,edawhpaot wsaitsiiomnportthanattohheim or advice
Staffing’s 30th anniversary
overseeing 30-35 employees.
awesome, no kidding, pretty cool. It was a good dayc.”ontest!
currently holds. In 2014,
Whitefish native Tom has much to be proud
he’d give to others, Tom stated, “work ethic with
“I retrieved a phone
he was also given the Rig
about. His story and journey of his experiences
up, be determined, be open minded, and don’t
starmtedewshsenatghecomnpamnyywacseknlolwfrnoasmLabLoCr
Shop Supervisor role. He’s
Staffing. I figured it had to be
grateful to be part of the
Contractors back in 1996. He heard from friends
that the way to get on at Plum Creek Timber
Besides work and spending quality family time,
something important. I called
management team. And,
Company was to go through Labor Contractors.
Thomas Kemppainen remains active coaching
He dbidasco,ka.ndWdihdne’tnturtnodldowtnhwaotrkIthwerae osr
vawriohusayto’suthnsepoxrts?anAd spervoesmasoatsisoistnan!t
the top winner, I remember
Starting 9-21-15, Tom began his new position
any other opportunities that were presented to
softball coach at Columbia Falls High School.
him. In 1997, he was hired on at Plum Creek.
saying right on, awesome,
What’s he going to do with the $3,000 he won
no kidding, pretty cool. It
inathse cPonlytewst?oIot’sd“fiPshrinogdtaucckleti”ofonr his boat,
His 18 year run has included assignments at the
Evergreen Reman plant, Plum Creek’s Columbia
Supervisor, overseeing 30- 35 employees.
was a good day.”
of course!
Falls Sawmill, Planer and Log Yard. He worked Maintenance on weekends; and within 1 year, wasWenhroilltedfiinsthenMailltwivrigehtTtroaimneehpraosgram.
Writer: J. Ludwig, September 5, 2015
much to be proud about. His story and journey of his experiences started when the company was known
as Labor Contractors back in 1996. He heard from friends that the way to get on at Plum Creek Timber Company was to go through Labor Contractors. He did so, and didn’t turn down work there or any other opportunities that were presented to him. In 1997, he was hired on at Plum Creek.
His 18 year run has included assignments at the Evergreen Reman plant, Plum Creek’s Columbia Falls Sawmill, Planer and Log Yard. He worked Maintenance on weekends; and within 1
When asked what was important to him or advice he’d give to others, Tom stated, “work ethic with the mindset that you have to work hard, show up,
be determined, be open minded, and don’t limit yourself.”
Besides work and spending quality family time, Thomas Kemppainen remains
active coaching various youth sports and serves as assistant softball coach at Columbia Falls High School.
What’s he going to do with the $3,000 he won in the contest? It’s “fishing tackle” for his boat, of course!
Writer: J. Ludwig, September 5, 2015
position, and was given the
of the management team. And, what’s next? A
promotion! Starting 9-21-15, Tom began his new
the mindset that you have to work hard, show
limit yourself.”
Walk-ins Welcome!
702 East Idaho Street, Kalispell
406-752-0191
Search Jobs & Apply Online www.lcstaffing.com
WARREN’S WORLD WARREN MILLER THEN AND NOW
IF YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE skied as long as I have, you’ll know that the ski season then was com- pletely different than today.
In 1940, the day after Labor Day I would stop by a sporting goods store, go way back to the seldom-visited ski department and look at a blackboard with all the local resorts listed and the snow depths. It was written in chalk so it could be changed as soon as any snow arrived.
First thing on the agenda was to remove the skis from the piece of lumber that they had been clamped to for the summer to prevent them from warping. Then you would check your edges. Nearly always that would result in a trip to the hardware store to buy two dollars worth of stainless steel Phillips-head screws to secure the edges for those that were missing.
While there, you also bought a hand- ful of copper rivets. If your skis were as worn out as mine usually were, with the hickory so soft it could no longer hold a Phillips-head screw, then you drilled all the way through the ski. I would insert the rivet with a big copper washer on the top of the ski and I thought somehow the skis would last another winter. But they never did.
When I made sure that the edges were firmly attached, I would remove the bind- ings and sand the tops of the skis and apply many layers of varnish to them.
Next I began working on the bottoms, sanding off the lacquer from the previous winter and applying all new coats of lac- quer and reattaching the bindings.
Perhaps you put in extra shifts at the drugstore or the malt shop to earn the extra money to buy some new stuff; per- haps a new pair of gabardine pants with the seam in the front and tapered to fit smoothly inside of your boots.
Snow tires had not been invented yet, so you had to make sure that your skid chains from the winter before still fit the tires on your car and you had a couple of
coils of bailing wire to fix them when they broke.
At that time I was skiing at nearby Mount Waterman on a single rickety old chairlift for $2.50 a day. Another pre- requisite was to have friends who had enough money to help pay for 15-cents-a- gallon gasoline to get you there and back.
You put your boots on while sitting on the running board of the car in a muddy parking lot, and then with the heavy hick- ory skis and bamboo poles, over your shoulder, we’d walk the mile or so to ride the chairlift. If you were lucky you got in the chairlift line early, but the line was probably already 45 minutes long.
It would be many years before snow grooming was invented and as the win- ter progressed in snow depth, the moguls progressed in altitude with each new snowfall. Before long, the hill looked as if random Volkswagen bugs had been parked everywhere and then snowed on.
There were many end-of-the day runs that were a sheet ice so we did nothing but traverse between trees and execute kick turns while hanging on to a tree and then traverse back.
Going skiing back then meant in a four-door sedan with room for six people you sat jammed in a car with seven other people, everyone smelling of melted snow and sweaty, wet wool.
When I was paying $2.50 for a day to ride the Mount Waterman chairlift in 1940, I was earning two dollars every Wednesday and Saturday morning delivering 300 copies of the Los Angeles downtown shopping news. Times have changed. I never hear of kids today hav- ing paper routes to enable them to buy what they want.
Today many people don’t even buy skis because it’s such a hassle to get them back and forth from your hometown to the ski resort and back, so they just get demos or rent skis every day of their vacation. Times have changed.
For more of Warren’s wanderings go to www.warrenmiller.net.
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OCTOBER 7, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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