Lake Martin Essentials A host of college students keeps the lake working all season long STORY BY ERIN CHESNUTT
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While service labor positions remain unfilled across the country, college students are working hard at Lake Martin. Summer jobs are a necessity for most of them. Many students use their time away from school to earn much-needed funds for the coming year, and Lake Martin provides them the opportunity to enjoy the lake while earning money for school. Southern Methodist University Senior, Payton Kaufman, is from Indiana, but he has been able to live at his father’s lake house in The Villages for the last three summers. A pre-law student, he spends his summer as a server and bartender at Copper’s Grill at Stillwaters. “I have a scholarship, and my parents pay for my additional tuition, but I use the money I make in the summer to pay for my fraternity dues and other expenses,” explained Kaufman, who plans to use the bartending experience that he learned at Copper’s to pay for law school. “I will be looking for bartender jobs when I return to Dallas since I will be paying for law school tuition on my own.” Fellow Copper’s bartender, Georgia Edwards, will graduate from Southern Union in August and then plans to attend the University of Alabama or Troy University to continue her degree with an on-line program. “Because of this job, I have been able to pay for my entire education in cash,” the Dadeville resident explained. Ranzaydria “Ran” Woodyard has been working at Kowaliga Restaurant since 2015. The University of
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Alabama nursing student is entering her senior year but will have fond memories of her summers working at the lake. “I got an application for Russell Lands in the counselors’ office my senior year of high school,” the Eclectic resident explained. “I started as a hostess; worked in the kitchen making sure the orders were correct; and then, when I turned 21, I became a server.” Working at Kowaliga taught her that every job contributes to the success of the restaurant. “I know the hospital environment will be different, but I’ve learned that every job and every worker is essential, and it’s so important to get along with everyone. Because we stay so busy, I make enough money to
AUGUST 2021
