Craig Firestone
Mr. Firestone has been a long-time janitor of the Holden Annex. He is writing to reminisce about some of the better memories he has from his time working there.
This is taken from a guy from the inside out. I think the Annex has really stood the test of time! Over the years the Annex has been a number of things.
First, it has been a pleasant place for students to stay. I have never seen one cockroach. It has one thing many dorms are missing: peace.
Second, at one point it was made into office space for all the office personnel in PEC. At that point all the windows were dotted with air conditioners and the entire place got its first full paint job since I’ve been here. A great improvement!
Third, one year no one was in the Annex. There was a snowstorm that year. Our supervisors thought we wouldn’t make it back to work, so they offered the Annex as a place to stay. No one stayed, but the offer was still nice.
Lastly, no students were allowed in the Annex as it was turned into a quarantine box. No students lived at the Annex except those that got the flu. Guess we had quite a few cases that year, but it was great we had a facility to keep the sick students away from everyone else until they got better! No need to worry, it’s been completely sanitized since then.
I’m not writing this to save the Annex, only to say it has withstood the test of time and been quite useful. If she had been a ship in the Navy, she would have been referred to as a Grand ole Lady. When she had seen her time she would have: been turned into razor blades; been mothballed and stored away; been sunk and turned into a coral reef for fish; or made into a museum for people to visit.
Whenever the Annex was called upon she came through with flying colors! Hopefully, some of you out there will think of her more highly than just a sub-standard housing facility.
The Annex and I are both growing old gracefully.
You will be missed, (but not forgotten).
P.S. When she goes down maybe the Pipers could play “Amazing Grace!”
Guess I’m dreaming.