My Park Story: Steve Sanders

Steve's wedding invitation to his coworkers is still pinned to the corkboard in the maintenance office at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

Courtesy of Steve Sanders

Steve Sanders

A Park Love Story

Steve shares his park story every day working in the Maintenance division for Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, but the park holds a lot more than just a job for him. He and his wife Laura had their wedding reception at the Kettle Falls Swim Beach in 2004. To invite park staff, he put the invitation to coworkers up on a corkboard where it sits today 18 years later.

“The old bathhouse was still there so we cleaned out and used the kitchen, my Mom came down and catered all the food. It was a humongous party, it’s local and it is beautiful here in the summer. There were over 250 people here, locals and neighbors and parks people. There were people playing volleyball and listened to the live music on the smooth concrete floor. I remember my older neighbor Johnny saying, 'God’dang it Steve, I haven’t listened to live music in over 30 years.' It was August, so it was really hot, we had the tables pulled out under the old trees, under the shade. At the ballfield we turned on the water, people were over there taking baths in the sprinklers.

We still visit Lake Roosevelt; we have our son’s birthday party down at the pavilion. Married for 18 years, together for 20, it is sentimental to us.”