Wed, Dec 03 2008
|
|
Published April 14, 2008 04:52 pm - A month ago, I wrote a column about a couple of electronic kiosks that the new Downstream Casino Resort had set up in the J.C. Penney court at Northpark Mall. A person could go to one of the kiosks and apply for one of the 800 or so jobs that will be up for grabs when the casino opens later this summer. Folding towels is real work after ‘watching’ Range Line w/ towel-folding race video A month ago, I wrote a column about a couple of electronic kiosks that the new Downstream Casino Resort had set up in the J.C. Penney court at Northpark Mall. A person could go to one of the kiosks and apply for one of the 800 or so jobs that will be up for grabs when the casino opens later this summer.
In the column, I noted that I am nearing my retirement years and that it might be fun to have a part-time job at a casino. But I did not want just any job. I said I wanted a job where I wouldn’t have to think so much, something like counting money or folding towels. Be careful what you wish for. The column was read by the good folks at Joplin Workshops Inc., where they launder and fold about 48,000 towels a week for 15 hospitals, nearly 60 clinics and other customers, some of whom do business on Range Line Road. They suggested that I come down to their laundry and try my hand at folding some towels. It would be an “opportunity of a lifetime,” they said. And, if I would like to have some fun, they would arrange a towel-folding contest with some of their more experienced workers. I would later learn that folding 560 towels per hour is considered the standard. It did not take long for word about the towel-folding contest to circulate through the newsroom. The contest quickly became something akin to an Olympic event. My co-workers in the newsroom, for the most part, are a clever lot. Debby Woodin, who writes about City Hall, seized the moment: “Wally, it sounds to me like you could use some training for this contest. I’ve got a whole bunch of towels at my house that need to be folded.” That Debby, always working the angle. So, with a couple of cameramen in tow — the Globe wanted to document this historic moment in my career in which I actually worked — we headed for the workshops at Fifth Street and School Avenue. There, I was introduced to my towel-folding trainers, Lynne Mahurin, of Oronogo, and Darrell Huggins, of Carl Junction. On this day, we were folding towels for Freeman Health System. The towels had to be folded in such a way that the Freeman logo was visible and in the same corner throughout the pile. Lynne took the lead by demonstrating the proper technique. She showed me that there is a right way to fold towels, and that all of the other ways are wrong. It wasn’t as easy as it looked, especially the part where she fluffs the towel by waving it in the air before putting it on the pile. I couldn’t quite get it. After I made several attempts, she got a bit frustrated and gave me that questioning look I’ve seen before: “You’re not very smart, are you?” After some more training, I got the hang of it. Then it was time for the contest. Ron Sampson, director of the workshops, said he would give us two minutes to fold as many towels as we could. The contest had some hidden obstacles. Among the towels were some pesky washcloths. They had to be placed in a flat pile. Then there were the towels that you had to reject for discoloration. Those towels have to go through the laundry again. So, not every towel you picked from the pile could be folded. I did pretty well, but I misplaced the logo on some of my towels. Those had to be disqualified. In the end, I got the bronze medal. Lynne got the silver medal, and Darrell got the gold. But I’m not throwing in the towel just yet on a second career in towel folding. There’s a certain Zen-like inner peace that comes with the folding of towels. It’s not so bad, and I wouldn’t mind doing it if I got to work with people like Lynne and Darrell, who were delightful. But, towel folding is not for everyone. There’s some upper-body work involved. By the end of the contest, I had some moisture on my brow. I think it’s called perspiration. Anybody got a towel? 
![comment on this story](http://community.cnhi.com/eve/ubb.x?a=dl&f=55410432
&x_id=local_story_105165234.html&x_subject=<img+src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif"+border=0>Folding+towels+is+real+work+after+‘watching’+Range+Line+<font+color="#ff0000">w/+towel-folding+race+video</font>+&x_link=http://www.joplinglobe.com/dailybusiness/local_story_105165234.html)
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
More from the Business section
Wally Kennedy: ‘Best deal’ thinking spurs shoppers Christmas tree farms remain optimistic, despite economy Switchgrass studied to boost reclamation of former mine land |
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
![Add a comment on this story](http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/zope/add_comment.php?section_id=dailybusiness&story_id=local_story_105165234.html&headline=<img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border=0>Folding towels is real work after ‘watching’ Range Line <font color="#ff0000">w/ towel-folding race video</font> &portal_url=http://www.joplinglobe.com&portal=joplinglobe){kind=link}
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
The Joplin Globe Publishing Company 117 East Fourth Street, Joplin, MO 64801 Using our site is your agreement to the terms and conditions. News: news@joplinglobe.com • (417)623-3480 Advertise with the Joplin Globe Copyright © 2006 The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO All rights reserved. |
Popular Business directory links - Joplin Apartments | Joplin Attorneys | Joplin Auto Dealers | Joplin Auto Parts | Joplin Auto Repair | Joplin Beauty Salons | Joplin Car Rental | Joplin Dentists | Joplin Doctors | Joplin Flowers | Joplin Hotels | Joplin Insurance | Joplin Loans | Joplin Mortgages | Joplin Movers | Joplin Pizza | Joplin Realtors | Joplin Restaurants | Joplin Storage | Joplin Tax Preparation | Joplin Travel | Joplin Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service |