Enjoy The Fourth: Are You Working Or Playing? By Klark Byrd and Jessica Kaiser jkaiser@suntelegraph.com While millions of Americans look forward to the celebration of Independence Day, there are those who will continue to fulfill their duties instead of spending time with their families, barbecuing or relaxing. One of the first groups that comes to mind when one speaks of working on the holidays is police officers. Local law enforcement, along with state troopers, have already informed the public that there will be a heavy presence during the holiday to help keep people safe. Andrew Rodewald, a Sidney Police Department officer, is one of those people who will be working the holiday. Rodewald joined the department just more than two years ago, and this will be the second time he’s been scheduled to work on the Fourth of July. “It’s part of the job,” Rodewald told The Sidney Sun-Telegraph. “You can’t let it bother you. It’s just another Saturday, that’s how we look at it.” Rodewald said he’s not from around Sidney, and therefore does not have a lot of family here. That makes it slightly easier to give up the holiday time and work. His shift will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday and end at midnight. The first Fourth he worked, two years ago, was a busy one for local law enforcement. Rodewald said there were a lot of small fires and disturbances compared to a normal day, but he didn’t mind working it because it’s all in a day’s work. “It’s all about helping people,” Rodewald said of why he became an officer. “It’s about serving the community.” Serving the community can take many shapes and forms, however, gasoline is not one that usually comes to mind when thinking of service, and yet it is something that would not go unnoticed if it was unavailable during times of increased travel. Gas stations are a vital part of the service industry, and while some are completely automated, others still have attendants. Git’ N Split employee Jessie Carlin has lived in Sidney for two years and has worked at the gas station since she moved to town. Moving to Sidney to care for her mom, she works nearly every holiday. In fact, she has worked holidays her entire life. “It doesn’t bother me,” she said. “I’m used to it.” Carlin said that before she lived in Nebraska she was an Indiana resident for 45 years and worked holidays there as well. Sidney native and fellow Git’ N Split employee Amber Tritt said she also has worked at the gas station for two years and has worked holidays prior to this job. Also working hard on the holiday is Michelle McClure, director of the Cheyenne County Emergency Communications Center. McClure is a veteran dispatcher, having done the job for more than 15 years, who has given up plenty of holiday time to man the phones for public safety. “We typically work eight-hour shifts,” McClure said of holiday work. “It’s a little busier because there’s one person instead of two.” Thanks to the regular shifts, employees will still be able to spend some time at the grill or relaxing with family. Caring for the elderly is one job that doesn’t stop for national holidays, as Carol Ramsey, director of nursing at Memorial Health Center’s Extended Care, has experienced in her line of work. She said she has worked many holidays and finds it rewarding. A London, England, native, Ramsey lives in Potter and has been at extended care for 18 months. She previously worked in Kimball’s nursing home. She has worked as an RN in the area for the past nine years. She said during the holidays work is “a different atmosphere.” Her duties at MHC’s Extended Care include overseeing the care needs of the residents and staffing employees. “It doesn’t bother me in the least,” she said of working on holidays. “It is nice to see the interaction with the families when they come to visit.” She said extended care gets busy during major holidays. Her experience working holidays has been “a very positive thing.” Whether you’re working on this year’s celebration of our independence or not, the staff of The Sidney Sun-Telegraph wishes you the best! Have a safe and happy Fourth.