Camp Bowen

A Day at the Ruddy Potato

The TBI also known as the Tekki Blind Investigators went to the Ruddy Potato Whole Foods Market and interviewed Scott (R0001), the store manager. Scott has been working at the store for one year. The Ruddy Potato is an organic whole food store that sells whole foods. That means there are no chemicals, pesticides, GMO (genetically modified organisms), or artificial fertilizers. There are 12 employees at the store, but Scott works with a total of about 20 people. Three to five people work at the Ruddy Potato at one time. Today, when we went there, there were only three people working there. They were two cashiers and the store manager Scott. Scott told us that there was also a Ruddy Kitchen below the Ruddy Potato. and they had a Ruddy Potato truck. The symbol for the Ruddy Potato is a picture of a farm.

Scott showed us around his store, and he gave us things to eat, including cherries, strawberries, avocados, kiwis, chocolate covered ginger, cashews and peanuts. The sections in his store include produce, meat, the warehouse, frozen foods, nuts, bread, spices and a kids’ section. The meat comes from Alderwood Farm. The chicken is from Fenwood Farm. We met Dan (R0002) from Alderwood farms the day before.

In produce, there are fruits and vegetables such as lettuce and kiwis. In the meat section, there were sausages, beef, and chicken breasts. In the warehouse at the back, there were all types of things. We even got to go in the walk-in fridge. In the frozen foods section, there were soy ice cream, pizzas, burritos, and waffles. In the bread section, there were breads like baguettes, whole wheat and other healthy breads like sourdough. In nuts there were cashews and peanuts. In spices there were spices like basil, dillweed, cayenne, and things like that. In the kids section, there were toys and even a wooden tree with children’s art on it.

We enjoyed the samples, the coffee beans, and the walk-in fridge. Some of us also got to try being cashiers. We scanned products like a loaf of bread and a fruit bar. after we scanned the products, we opened the cash drawer and checked out the money in it. That was fun.

Notes

• Transcribed by Alex Jurgensen
• Transcribed on: April 22, 2013

To protect the privacy of individuals named in this article, pseudonyms have been used, where appropriate. Records of the modifications are kept by the Camp Bowen Society for the Visually Impaired.

Job Detectives Interview:

Massage Therapist

Today we went to The Cottage to visit Vicky, who owns the business and Sherry, who gives people facials, manicures and pedicures. Sherry gave us each a hand treatment. First we lay on a bed that was heated with a heated blanket that was under the sheets. There was a knee bolster under our knees. She played slow, relaxing music that was made by a man who lives on one of the Gulf Islands. She rubbed our hands with a special scrub made of lavender oil and raw salt. The scrub takes off all the dead skin and then the lavender oil moisturizes and softens the skin. Sherry wiped off the salt and then massaged our hands with the oil. She usually uses lavender oil because it is natural, most people are not allergic to it, most people like the smell, and it feels good. She sometimes uses eucalyptus oil but it smells too strong for some people. Tannis did not like the smell of it but the rest of us did. We liked the lavender smell the best though. Sherry’s hands were very soft because she gets a little treatment too whenever she massages someone else’s hands. The purpose of the hand massage is to improve circulation of the hand and to relax the muscles. It really did make our hands feel soft and relaxed.

We learned that it takes about ten to fifteen minutes for a hand or foot treatment and a facial treatment takes fifteen to twenty minutes. She takes longer to massage someone if they have tender or sore areas. When she gives a facial, she puts a hot towel on the person’s face first, to open their pores. This cleans the pores and helps get rid of blemishes.

Sherry started doing this kind of work when she was only 28 years. Sherry loves her job. She is around 33 years old now. She took a year long course at Blaance McDonald School. She only does this job at The Cottage. People make appointments to see her and a lady came in for an appointment to see her after our visit.

Sherry also does make-up for brides and her sister does their hair.

There is another lady named Jackie, who gives body massages but she was not there today.

Vicky sells oils, soaps, shampoos and other things for the bath and kitchen at The Cottage. She does not live there but she has a very big cat, named Max, who does live there. Max is grey, he is five years old and he weighs 22 pounds. We pet I’m and he felt soft. Vicky gave us some lavender to take with us.

We all liked the trip to The Cottage today and we felt very relaxed after our hand treatments.

Saturday, July 27, 2002

A Visit To The Pharmacy

Today Aman, Vanessa and Rosie went to the Pharmacy. The store was called Cates Pharmacy. The pharmacy was named after Mr. Cates. Mr. Cates was a famous man who lived here on Bowen Island. We went to the pharmacy to learn about medicine and the pharmacist.

Mr. Massender, the pharmacist, became interested in his job because he liked science and chemistry. He also liked arts and Biology and dealing with people. You need to learn these subjects to be a pharmacist. He graduated from High School and decided to take another year. After that he went to University for five years and then he became a pharmacist.

His job is a little related to a doctor’s. People come to him for advice for colds, flu and stomach problems. If it’s too complicated he sends them to a doctor. People can’t just come and by any medicine, they have to have a prescription for some special medicine.

We learned that medicine is made from plants, animals and things from the body. A pharmacist helps people get better by giving them medicine. He knows what medicine to give, when people tell him how they are sick.

There wasn’t only medicine in the pharmacy, there was also toys, chocolate, shoes and many other items. They didn’t just sell medicine because they didn’t have enough people coming to just buy medicine.

The store has never been robbed but when he was in a different place his store got burglarized at least once a month.

The guy who owns the pharmacy works eight hours a day. There wasn’t a popular medicine in the store. Mr. Massender gives people information on lots of medicine.

Mr. Massender likes his job because he likes helping people and it gives him a great feeling to help people.

If you would like to find out more about the pharmacy or want to ask any questions email him at cates at unipharm.com.

Notes

• Transcribed on: April 1, 2012