An Open Letter of Thanks

A previous vacation

I went on vacation.  There STILL is a pandemic going on (despite what some people might say or think) and I went on vacation.  The whole idea of going away on vacation during Covid-19 is pretty amazing and also scary.  When I planned this vacation it was BC (before Covid); the New Year was just dawning when I put down my deposit and I had no inkling of what was to come.  As the months progressed, I gave a lot of thought to this vacation and I WILL have a long post (probably multiple ones) about it in the near future.  But for now, I want to say thank you to a very specific and special group of people who made 4 days safe and relaxing for my family and I (as well as all the other guests.)  While this is aimed towards employees of a specific resort, I hope everyone who happens upon this post will read and take my words to heart.

To every single staff member (which means those I met or saw and those who I didn't) of Skytop Lodge:  THANK YOU!  Each and every one of you has done something completely amazing:  made the resort a safe, fun and relaxing place to be during these most difficult of times. 

The changes that had to be made in order for the resort to re-open is nothing more than astonishing; as they follow every rule, requirement and regulation to a T.  Every single employee wearing a mask for their own safety as well as the safety of guests.  (I was also pleased to see that 95% of the guest took the mask requirement indoors seriously.  For those who didn't; shame on you for not caring about the health of ALL those around you as well as your own.)  To those who were continually wiping down and disinfecting absolutely everything; from door handles to the giant chess pieces on the south lawn; your work did not go unnoticed by me and provided me a level of comfort.  (Special shout out to the on pool duty...keeping the area safe while dealing with the occasional irate guest who couldn't understand time and occupancy limits is not easy task.  You deserve a pool party of your own!)  To the wait staff who were forced to deal with new routines (outdoor dining, carry-out meals, new dining room configurations and shortages of certain food items) yet managed to always have a smile (under the mask; I could tell) and a level head; you deserve your own banquet.  To those on building and grounds who had to MOVE furniture out (where are you storing it all) so that there was more open space in every public area and then reconfigure spaces to make things safe, but friendly (multiple fire pits,  outdoor movies and all those necessarily Plexiglas dividers); you are rock stars.

To those who were "left behind;" the staff who stayed on property while the resort was closed to the public, but never abandoned, none of this would have been possible without you.  Although many things have changed, the grounds didn't.  Everything was a lovely as it always has been and that wouldn't have been possible if there hadn't been a skeleton crew loving taking care of the grounds during the dark period.  To the security staff who kept the grounds safe while the building was closed; you did a great job.  (Yes, I did hear about the attempt to break in and while I will be the first to admit that I would LOVE to explore every nook and cranny of the buildings and grounds when no one is around to try and do so during a pandemic is beyond stupid and selfish).  To the chefs and kitchen staff who stayed to feed those who were working; I know your food was filled with nourishment and love.  And finally to the management who made it all work; in my eyes it paid off.

Because of the work of all these people (and more who I might have mentioned or forgotten:  my apologies), I had 4 days where I could really relax.  Days, where despite all the obvious precautions, that I didn't think about Covid-19.  (Or maybe we are just FINALLY getting used to wearing face masks without thinking about it...I can hope can't I?)  THANK YOU!

Skytop has been around for nearly 100 years; they officially opened just before the Great Depression and managed to survive.  Due to their diligence (a diligence we should all take note of), they continue to survive and despite this pandemic, I expect they will thrive.  They do so because of the care and dedication of all employees.  They do so because they do NOT sacrifice safety in the name of profit.  Everyone I have met truly seems to care for one another as well as their guests.

We all need to take our cue from you.  To work with care and caution; to make our "place" (whatever or wherever it may be), relaxing and safe.

Thank you for making Skytop a special place.

Stay safe...stay well...stay Skytop.

Friday Night...you can have fun and stay safe!