Early risers
12/6/2023While most of us are catching our last few Zs before dragging ourselves out of bed, others have long been awake and busy, many of them making it possible for us to get our days off to a good start. After all, someone has to make the donuts, brew the coffee and deliver those energy drinks to the shelves. Others rise and shine to care for the early morning needs of patients in hospitals, residents of care centers and women in labor. The list of those working while we sleep goes on, and some of them share their experiences as early risers.
Jeremy Kruse
A welder by trade
Jeremy Kruse is a welder by trade, and he must arrive at work before sunrise.
He leaves his home in Adel before 4:30 a.m. every workday to get to work on time.
“I have been getting up early for so long that I have a built-in alarm clock,” he says.
Jeremy chooses to get up earlier to allow for any unforeseen traffic or other issues. A flat tire or mechanical breakdown in his vehicle may make him late for his shift, which begins before 6 a.m. He also likes that he can take his time, especially in winter.
“I like the earlier commute because there is less traffic. I can drive slower and take my time getting to work,” he says. “My dad engraved that tactic into me — to prepare or plan ahead, just in case, so you would not report late to your job,” he says.
“My family and I camp a lot on the weekends. I get up, start a fire, and enjoy a few cups of coffee before sunrise. It’s so peaceful in the mornings.”
Source: Adel Living, November 2023; by Chantel Boyd
Allan Curtis
Weather is 24 hours
Allan Curtis works for the National Weather Service in Johnston, which is tasked with issuing watches and warnings for the area — at all times of the day and night.
When Curtis knows he will have a series of overnight shifts upcoming, the day before, he will start to transition into the overnight shifts by staying up until around 3 or 4 a.m., then sleeping until around noon.
“I am beyond lucky to have a loving wife and now two young children, and I would be lying if I said my work schedule does not affect them,” he says. “I have missed, and will continue to miss, family events, holidays, school events, sports, milestones and more. That’s something I have come to terms with, as well as my wife. That makes being there that much more valuable and important when I can.”
For those working challenging hours, Curtis says it’s critical that you love what you do. If you are not happy at work, that is going to amplify all of the negatives of the schedule even more.
Source: Johnston Living, November 2023; by Ashley Rullestad
Jana Barnard
A 5 a.m. friendly “hello”
Jana Barnard is a morning person. Throughout her IT career at a major insurance/financial company, she says people who arrived at the office early did it for one of two reasons: They were morning people, or they wanted to finish their day earlier.
“Typically, the morning people were friendly and somewhat chatty,” she says, laughing. “I can’t say the same for those who were there to get off earlier.”
Since retiring in 2015, Barnard has dabbled in different shifts at the Indianola Wellness Campus (formerly the YMCA). When a couple early morning opening shifts came available, Barnard saw it as a good fit. She arrives early enough to have the coffee ready when members start rolling in at 5 a.m.
“I’ve learned who the ‘non-morning’ members are and typically greet them with a soft ‘Good morning,’ ” she says, smiling. “However, others sometimes want a little conversation before their workout, so I am happy to oblige. More than anything, I try really hard to always have a smile as they walk in the door.”
Source: Indianola Living, November 2023; by Becky Kolosik
Joe Peitzman
Fresh-baked goodies
Stopping by to grab treats for an early-morning office donut run wouldn’t be possible without Joe Peitzman and other bakers who are up before dawn.
Peitzman has been a baker at Hy-Vee for 33 years. To arrive at the store by 3 or 4 a.m., he’s up by either 2:30 or 3:30 a.m. He became a baker initially because he didn’t want to work the night shift. He felt his home life suffered because of the hours.
“On the first day of my job, I wasn’t sure I could get up that early,” he says. “I set the alarm clock across the room so I’d have to get up to turn it off. When it went off, my wife thought it was a fire alarm and started panicking. It was pretty funny.”
He likes how his schedule allows him time during the day to run errands.
“I have friends with regular hours, and they have to take time off for appointments,” he says. “There’s no traffic when I get off. It’s usually a relaxing drive home.”
Source: West Des Moines/Jordan Creek Living, November 2023; by Jackie Wilson
