Hello spring, welcome back. When you work in the service industry on
Tybee, getting through winter is a huge accomplishment. St. Patrick’s
is a great way to start off the season. It is definitely the busiest two
weeks of the year. It’s like a two week training season to get back in
the grind of summer.
When you are at your favorite place on the island and you notice it is
at full capacity, know that your wait time for a Breezy is going to be
more than ten minutes. When we roll up to pick you up, there are other
people waiting on us as well. We try to pick up in the order you called.
However, it is hard to tell people who are trying to get in the cab that
we are not here for you. Great customer service is everything to Breezy
so please try to cooperate with us and be ready when we get there.
Also, when you call for a ride it helps when you are not standing in front
of the band and their sound system. Find a quiet spot to make your
call and listen to the dispatcher tell you how long and who will be your
driver. Also, pay your tab before we arrive. In the taxi world you wait for
us, we don’t wait for you.
We had a giant St. Patrick’s Day parade on Tybee. We were blessed
with excellent weather. I started my shift at 1pm to help with the
parade crowd. I was driving the bus and having to use the old golf cart
path, aka the back roads. It is a curse and a blessing that we can go
past Huc-A-Poos.
After the parade, a lot of people need to go to the Crab Shack. It’s not
a problem until you are stuck in traffic due to an accident. We had two
different accidents this year. I was stuck in the mess both times. I also
was in a bit of a jam in the Crab Shack parking lot. I think we need one
way signs up there. That’s not the first time I have been trapped in that
parking lot.
We also had daylight savings time. It was the same Saturday as the
parade. By 1:30am I was spent. I saw a group of TIPD, so I stopped
and asked them if we were shutting the bars down at 3 or if they were
going to stay open until 4. I reminded them how hard they had all
worked and that 3 o’clock is 3 o’clock. I also threw in my 2 cents and
voted on shooting it down. Whether I had any influence or not, speaking
for everyone that worked that night, thank you fine officers for calling
it a night.
Remember not to drink and drive. I can’t believe someone crashed into
the Salt Island restaurant. Thank God no one was in there. The damage
is bad enough, but a least some innocent person was not injured. Let’s
be on our game going into the 2019 season. Don’t forget to tip your
servers and bartenders. Clean up after yourself and GO Breezy!
30 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | APR 2019
By Ron Goralczyk
SPRING TALES
Behind the Tape…
By Sgt. Richard Dascall
Well, at this point I think it’s fair to say that summer is upon us.
St. Patrick’s has come and gone and we have Orange Crush on
the horizon. Instead of giving stories this month, I’m going to talk
about some of the programs that the department has and is
involved in. I promise that next month I’ll write about some good
OC stuff that happened.
The first program I’ll tell you about is the National Take Back
Initiative. This is a program that we take part in through the DEA.
Twice a year the DEA hosts this program nationwide to give
people the opportunity to turn in unused prescription
medications. We set up in the lobby of the YMCA and accept any
and all medications. If this is a service you could use, keep an
eye on our Facebook for upcoming dates.
Next is our VIP program. This is a monthly event held at the old
cafeteria and designed for our older citizens. During this meeting
we provide lunch and tell everyone what is going on at the
department and try to answer any questions the community has.
This is normally held the last Monday of each month. If you
would like to be involved in this please reach out to us.
The last program I’m going to tell you about is Operation
Starlight. This program was started to help with children whose
parents have been arrested. In the past, when a parent gets
arrested and their kids are with them, the officers would have to
sit with the children for what is sometimes several hours. Since
we have become busier, pulling officers away to do things like
this puts a serious strain on us. Now we have several trained
volunteers who are able to sit with these children when needed.
This past year the program was recognized with an award from
Motorola. If you are interested in taking part in this program as a
volunteer, reach out to Captain Hayes or Lt. Randolph.
I hope everyone enjoys hearing about these programs, and I
promise, next month I’ll have a good story for you.