Volunteer Laieton Sharp shares his experiences working on the SAM shortline

Laieton Sharp, a college student, has volunteered on the SAM Shortline since high school. He talked about how the train had an impact on him during his early childhood. “SAM Shortline always held the Day out with Thomas every year, and I’d been going to that since I was about, I want to say, four or five years old. Did it up until I turned, I want to say eight or so.”

He told how his family would take him all the way from Valdosta to Cordele so that he could participate. As he outgrew the experience, he moved on to other things, but eventually the memories resurfaced. “I never really thought about it much after that, but sophomore year came around, and I started looking into volunteering with the DNR. I wanted something to do over the Summer, I was getting kind of bored.” He ended up talking with a family friend who, at the time, worked for SAM shortline. “I talked to our manager, Miss Opal, and she told me what was going on. I met up with her at the station in the park. She gave me a shirt, gave me a lanyard, that sort of stuff and so I worked for three weekends at Day out with Thomas.”

Sharp’s initial duties were on the ground, providing traffic control and dealing with trash. However, he eventually had an epiphany. “Well, I kind of want to be on the train.” He talked to general manager, who told him to come back in July for the 4 th of July Plains Trains and Fireworks events. “It’s a very fun little event. You go out at night.” He told how they left around 6 pm and returned at 11 pm. “Since then, I’ve enjoyed it so much that I’ve continued doing it, well into college.”

He talked about the kid’s responses. “The kids usually love Day out with Thomas.” He told how they have a bounce house, a haybale maze, and a gift shop. “This year I helped both on the train, and I helped set up some displays for some of the Thomas. . .toy train layouts. The Middle Georgia model railroad club came down, they come down every year, and they set up some of their really big O-gauge layout.” Sharp summed up the experience. “Lots of fun for all the kids.”

The post Volunteer Laieton Sharp shares his experiences working on the SAM shortline appeared first on Americus Times-Recorder .