Our Antlers team is very fortunate to be able to work for an organization with a culture that values staff empowerment and giving back. We very often receive thank you notes that make our day. They may be to individual team members for going above and beyond or even for having given back to the community in one way or another. The Antlers also encourages individual team members to give back to the community and while probably most of us do, some do so in ways that are even more impactful than what we get to do here as an Antlers team member — such as saving lives!
Our Chief Engineer, Tom Schlader aka “Sludge” volunteers and is someone who truly excels at giving back through his volunteer work at Vail Mountain Rescue.
Our Chief Engineer, Tom Schlader aka “Sludge”, who also goes by the title “Director of Preservation” volunteers and plays a pretty big role at Vail Mountain Rescue Group. Vail Mountain Rescue is a volunteer group providing back country search and rescue, as well as public education on back country safety, in Eagle County. The team is responsible for all search and rescue operations in the unincorporated areas of the County. Vail Mountain Rescue Group recently shared with us a thank you note that they received that gives a nice shout out to Sludge who frequently goes on missions much more dangerous than this one. We’re very proud of his commitment and service.
“In early December I went for a snowshoe to Fowler Hilliard Hut at 11,500 ft and got pretty bad altitude sickness. It was scary! Vail Mountain Rescue folks evacuated me and brought me down the mountain on snowmobiles at about midnight, and even brought my friend who had driven me to the trail head, too. Jared, Jeff, Justin, Tom(Sludge), and Megan were wonderful and took good care of me. They were so nice and caring, didn’t act at all irritated to be out in the 10 degree cold on a Friday night and actually told me they love what they do. I was SOOOO grateful for their services and I am safe and healthy now. Thank you so much!!!” — Jennifer Ayers
