This month, the department puts team member Donnie Gideon in the spotlight!

Donnie has been with us for 11 years, working as a mechanic at Three Ridges Gold Course. In addition to his regular mechanic duties, he helps sharpen the reels for mowers for the entire county.

His bosses say that he likes to be the first one to open the gate each morning and makes sure that everything at the course is ready for the maintenance and mowing crews to do their job.

Donnie has even been named the “chief of pulling golf carts out of the pond,” having to do some many times.

When asked about his favorite part of work, he jokingly replied: lunch.

For fun, Donnie enjoys friendly card games, golf and spending time with his granddaughter. Prior to working for the county, he was a brick mason for more than 20 years, something he started at age 11. He also served in the U.S. Air Force for four years as a sheet metal mechanic. After leaving the service, Donnie went to school to become a small engine mechanic.