The man of the hour: Dale Baumgartner
November 24, 2005
Tracy Yemen
Many of you know Dale Baumgartner of Rec Services. He is the man with the infamous moustache in the Doug-Out, fearlessly leading a team of students in pursuing recreational activities and friendships.
Dale started out as Rec Services Director in 2002. He commuted to Trinity Western University as a brand new Christian in 1985. After graduation in 1989, he was asked to take on the role as the first Commuter Director. A year later he moved to Resident Director where he remained for four years. Dale left the community in 1995 to pursue his Masters in Education at UBC. Allen Kotanen of Student Life contacted him when the position of Rec Services Director opened up. Dale comments on his start at Trinity, “I believe in the product, I am part of the product. Now being employed here I believe in the mission.” This is now his third year as an employee of the University.
When asked about the purpose of Rec Services, Dale responds, “This may be pie in the sky and philosophical, but I think the thing that is really important to me is to see the bigger picture. What community hopefully does is honor God.” According to Dale, the Rec Services team is made up of 13 individuals who honor God through what they do, how they are with one another, and their character. Dale desires to recreate the small-community feel, “where everyone knows everyone.” Rec Services is there to enhance the community and provide opportunities for students to enrich their lives through developing friendships. Dale stresses that Rec Services is, “by the students, for the students.”
If Dale could send out a message to the students of Trinity, it would be to get involved. If students are looking for something that is not offered, Dale is open to suggestions; he wants to provide opportunities. This year there is a vision for more leisure activities (for example, the board game night) that hopefully will target a group outside of the so-called “jocks” that tend to flock to all the activities.
“I love what I do; I love working with the students. We have the best college and career group in Canada, and every year we get the best of the best. I don’t have to deal with any discipline problems- we’re just cheerleaders. The students have problems- everyone has problems- but you’re making good decisions. Other people in the community have to deal with all the heartache. God’s got me in a sunny day. The take home for me is that students, for the most part, are not cynical; you have dreams, ideas, possibilities, belief in substantial changes. It keeps me young. I get the opportunity every year to be around great people. I hope God keeps me in this sunny day.”
Well Dale, so do we.
Now you go...
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