Monday, April 11, 2016 – Facilities Management Orientation, Toys, Toys, Toys.

Today was our FM (Facilities Management) orientation. We started at 7:00am with a devotional with all of the employees of FM and Senior Missionaries; there were about 40 of us in the room. After the opening song, spiritual thought and opening prayer the director of all the grounds, our boss Scott Higley, took all of the new seniors on a grand tour of the facility.  

The Nauvoo Facilities Management is a huge and very impressive operation. They cover and are responsible for the maintenance, storage, repair and upkeep of: 280 acres of lawns mowed twice a week, 250 flower plots/gardens, 5000 trees, 200 houses/home/apartments, 55 cars/trucks/service vehicles/ tractors/heavy & light equipment, and 4 greenhouses with 11,000 potted plants! The offices and warehouses contain completely stocked shops that would delight any tradesman for: carpenters, welders, painters, woodworkers/cabinet makers, masons, electricians, graphic art & signs makers, blue print/architects, auto mechanics, plumbers, appliance repair, nursery, greenhouses, and laundry. WOW, and that’s not to mention the storage warehouses for all of the supplies they need and use. Plus the warehouses that store everything for the two pageants the church produces each summer as well as the other shows, fairs, special events and holiday decorations that are used throughout the year.  Well. . . “Huge and impressive operation” may be an understatement!

Each of the shops are available for us to use under the direction and supervision of the shop manager. After the tour I felt like a kid in a candy store. Unfortunately we won’t have enough time to play with everything, huh. . .  I mean use all of the available resources, but still, there are soooo many toys to play with!