Christa
"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
I first ran into Christa on the Deer Book Trail. She was working with the Youth Conservation Corps filling in some tread with crushed rock and gravel just above a newly built wooden staircase. It seemed, though, that wherever I turned in the park, I would run into her. …and in each place we crossed paths, she’d smile, quickly say hello, and quietly continue with her project.
I noted that Christa was an important teacher with the Youth Corps and ultimately with all of my questions. She’d bring one to a given spot to show firsthand example to accompany her explanation and also encourage getting hands dirty and ultimate comprehension through trial. Brilliant! …and while my overall understanding remains basic, I have a better grasp of trail building and maintenance thanks to Chirsta (and all the crew at Acadia).
When talking about Christa with the Trails Crew Superintendent he said, “Christa is usually the “quiet type” but don’t be fooled by that. She’s excellent asset to the team who shows independence, great work ethic and diligence.” I know Christa would be a bit embarrassed by this praise, but representing the crew member archetype, I think it’s important to highlight. The decency of hard work is evident through Christa. …and when leveraged through similar group effort, special things happen. Go, Christa, go!
Hasselblad 500C medium format SLR camera + Zeiss 80mm f/2.8 lens+ Kodak Professional Tri-X 400 black and white film
~Dan Grenier
2015 Artist in Residence
Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park