As you can tell by my last post things were going well in my life. My latest marriage going well, adding on many more grandkids, and buying a home in the mountains. Life was, well, not perfect but close to it. We realized right along that I would need to get a full time job; driving a school bus was fun but didn't quite pay all the bills. So for most of 2012 I filled out application after application for several different jobs but without any luck at all. I knew I could always go back to long haul trucking but that didn't fit well with my new life and family. I went back to driving a school bus last fall and wondering just what I was to do. Seems like being over 50 was a bit detrimental to finding a job!
Well I kept looking and trying but with no luck. Then one of my stepsons saw an add on Craigslist for a job with the Tamarack Resort out of Donnelly, Idaho, as a security officer. This resort is about 35 miles from our Cascade home. I discussed this with Sue, my wife, and we decided I should apply. A few interviews later and on January 30th 2013 I started another new chapter of my life.
I should fill you in on Tamarack. Back in the early 2000's Tamarack came into existence. With great fanfare and lots of money (borrowed) about 380 chalets, townhouses and custom homes were built, along with a large condo lodge overlooking a major golf course, a complete skiing complex with several chairlifts and a half pipe, and then the "heart of Tamarack", a cluster of giant buildings to house condos and shops and have a plaza structure amongst the buildings. While all this was being built Tamarack opened and had all sorts of summer and winter activities going, with lots of celebrities here and lots of excitement. Even President Bush came and vacationed here.
Then the axe fell. I've heard lots of stories from lots of people who were here why Tamarack failed. but the upshot of it was that the "heart" was not finished and the whole of Tamarack was foreclosed on, closing in the first part of 2008.
In December 2010 the homeowners formed the Tamarack Municipal Association (TMA) and re-opened the ski resort and subsequently also re-opened the 18 hole golf course. At this point we are going strong, and now, through many court proceedings, Tamarack is now being "bought", with 15 unfinished duplex townhomes sold, and the Village Plaza (the heart) also sold. It will probably still take several years but eventually Tamarack will come completely back to life. The lifesaver is TMA; they have kept the ski buildings/equipment and the Osprey Meadows Lodge and golf course maintained and operational. Without this much of it would have fallen into ruin.
A key component to life at Tamarack is the renting of most of the homes and lodge condos. We have three rental companies that handle this, and we have a beautiful "Arling Center" which includes a chapel, school and large Grange hall. Through the summer we usually had two weddings every weekend!
So, here I am, a security officer at an absolutely beautiful resort, with a great group of people, in all our divisions, working together to make Tamarack a fun place to stay!
Overlooking Osprey Meadows Golf Course from the lodge
Looking down at the unfinished Village Plaza; the dome buildings
in front of it are the ski buildings
Lots of deer and foxes roam the hillsides and through
the homes, with elk in the fall
From the highest home at Tamarack
Our hot tub and pool at the lodge; there is even
a kiddy pool on the other side of the main pool!
Most of the rentals have access to the pools.
Pick your size of home to rent....
Or stay in one of our condos at the lodge.
Tamarack is alive and growing; with winter skiing, then in the summer with golfing, frisbee golf, biking, zip lining, kayaking, rafting and hiking we are a fun place to vacation. Yes, I am pushing Tamarack! Come visit us!
