Goodbye Mining

As a kid growing up in a small town, there were many sites and sounds I vividly remember. The sounds of back up alarms, horns and the sight of heavy equipment in operation and conveyor belts sticking up in the air were all a big part my childhood. In fact, the town was so small that Dad knew a big portion of the workers at both the mining operations that were located about a mile down the road- so from time to time, he would take me out to watch the the drag lines or over to the plants to see how everything was run. I was even able to climb aboard some of the equipment while in operation-which is something that would not be allowed by any means these days. It was from that moment on that I knew what I wanted to do in life.

After graduation (1993) I started off working 3rd shift in a cloth mill but in 1995, my hopes of some day being employed with a mining operation became a reality at W.R. Bonsal Co. Although heavy equipment was what I wanted to do, I was hired to load rail cars and customer trucks by control tower- but that didn't stop me. I had such a zeal to learn equipment operation that I would often stay over and practice on my own time without getting paid. I was determined to learn no matter what I had to do.

Several months later I was told of a company that had equipment twice as big as what Bonsal had and decided to check what I thought was a fairy tale. With a simple drive by the quarry I found out the so called fairy tale was true. So with that being said I set my sights on this huge operation that I discovered to be Vulcan Materials Co.

In July 1998, I got the phone call I was waiting on and a week later I was employed with Vulcan Materials operating the biggest equipment I had ever seen. Never in my wildest dreams would I ever think I would be in the position I was in that very moment. I worked at the Rockingham quarry from 1998 to August 2000 and then transferred to the Cabarrus quarry where I would remain until August 31 2007.

As time was passing by I started to notice I was getting more and more interested in the creativity of computers and movie editing and thought this was something I could pursue on the side until I was embraced by the ending product of something I created and the effect it had on my family and friends. I spent a lot of time in thought wandering if I was chasing a fantasy or was I really interested enough to begin another walk in a different direction. As doors began to open for me, I uncovered a passion that I did not know existed. After a little research I learned the best way for me to make this new pursuit a reality was to put my childhood dream at rest so I could fully devote my time and focus to studying and learning this new path I'm headed in life.

In retrospect to my feelings of wanting to work for a company like Vulcan, I am applying that same zeal that I once had for learning equipment towards my new ambitions. You see to me- it is not the years of experience you have- although that goes a long way, nor is it your skill talent- although that too goes a long way, but it is how you apply your heart to what you are doing. That to me is what will take you the distance.

In closing, I would like to say goodbye first and foremost to the employee's of Rockingham and Cabarrus quarry because you were basically my second family and a big thanks to Jim Cooper and David Holsinger and other management that I did not mention but are just as important. It was all of you that hired me for the positions I always wanted to do as a child growing up.

Thanks for the memories.

W.R Bonsal Co- Joey Murdock

Vulcan Materials Co, Rockingham- Jim Cooper

Vulcan Materials Co, Cabarrus- David Holsinger