Lyle and Donna Hetterly were caretakers and cooks at National Farmers Union’s (NFU) education site in Bailey, Colorado for 25 years. They attended the NFU All-States Leadership Camp 75th Anniversary Celebration in Bailey on Saturday, July 16, 2011. Many former campers and staff members were happy to see the Hetterlys return.
Lyle and Donna had raised hogs in South Dakota, but when hog prices dropped they began exploring other career options. They saw the caretaker position posted in the Farmers Union paper and, with a small catering business in South Dakota as a resume-booster, they decided to apply. They began working in Bailey on May 1, 1982. Lyle and Donna’s catering skills came in handy while working with the variety of groups that utilized the grounds, from camps and weddings to company picnics and family reunions. Donna recalled a particular company picnic that involved food preparation for 3,200 people, all of which was done in the kitchen of the NFU education center. To read the rest of the Lyle and Donna’s story, click here.