Weber State Staff Members Complete Marathon Drive To Get Equipment
Aug 21, 2020, 9:07 PM | Updated: Sep 13, 2020, 1:13 pm
OGDEN, Utah – Hundreds of microphones needed to help Weber State University prepare for remote-learning classes were stuck in Los Angeles, so two facilities employees made the marathon drive to pick them up.
The pandemic is causing delays for shipments from China. That included the boxes bound for WSU, full of 200 microphones that would have missed the first day of class if not for Tod Lloyd and Mike Foley, who completed the delivery.
The school’s pep band and a group of very happy employees greeted the fully-loaded U-Haul on Friday.
“We always take pride in being dedicated to our students, but folks have stepped up tremendously the last few weeks to make sure that everything on campus is taken care of,” said Weber State President Brad Mortenson. “And I think that’s part of what makes Weber State great.”
Two @WeberStateU employees come to the rescue, after a shipment of hundreds of mics for online learning got held up in L.A. The surprise welcome back, and the rush to get everything ready in time for classes Monday, on @KSL5TV at 6pm. pic.twitter.com/2uo6Qnx5iO
— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) August 21, 2020
“Yeah, this is the last step. This is the last step. It’s been a journey,” said Mason Hall, one of the school employees waiting on the delivery.
It was a whirlwind journey for the two facilities employees who completed the drive in less than three days. They did not expect such a warm welcome.
“Not at all. Not at all. This is a total surprise,” said Lloyd.
The microphones are critical to set up virtual-learning stations for classrooms across campus. After the shipment was delayed, the 72-hour drive was the only way to get them to WSU in time.
“We actually left Tuesday evening, drove all night. Got there Wednesday to pick up the load, and when it was ready, we turned around and hustled right back,” Lloyd said.
Now, the race is on for the rest of the team to get the microphones installed over the weekend.
“It’s gonna be a good day or a good weekend, depending on how things go, haha,” Foley laughed.
Teamwork got the microphones to Ogden in time, and it will take the same to get them all in place and working.
Even with all those employees on the task, it will take an estimated 2,000 man-hours to get every classroom ready.
“We had cameras, and now we’re installing the mics so, you know, students can actually hear their professors from home,” Hall said.
About $700,000 in federal CARES funds paid for the equipment.
