Grounds Keeper, Reno Shadden
The Kern River Valley Public Cemetery District hired its new Grounds Keeper, Reno Shadden, Monday July 1. He spoke with the Kern Valley Sun, at the district board meeting, July 9.
Shadden is descended from a longtime family of the Kern River Valley and therefore has lifetime ties with, and a love for, the area.
He said, “I do some of the landscaping stuff over at the Rodeo Grounds. And I’ve been there for about three years now.”
Shadden has also done landscaping work for private parties such as lawns and branch trimming. “I like being outside basically,” he said.
He then explained how he decided to put in for the job. He said, “I heard that it (the position) was open so I applied for it. The compelling reason is just pride because I have relatives buried on both sides of the highway. I have a lot of Native American blood in me. I see a lot of things that need to be done, so it’s just going to take a little bit to get there…to get the lawn back to where it should be, and then kind of beautifying it to where, when people walk up here you have some sort of a sense of pride that you’re going to be happy to be able to lay somebody to rest here.”
Shadden did sign a contract with the district for full time employment for 32 hours a week. “I have faith that it will turn out to be a lot nicer here. I was already coming over before I was hired. It’ll look a lot nicer.” Shadden still plans to do some tree trimming at the cemetery once he gets the sprinkler timers working correctly. He’s been checking the water tanks daily.
He said that the fact he’s been hired seems surreal and is just starting to sink in for him.
