Back in 1983, Tech Services was getting a day in the spotlight. We were going to be on the front page of The GRAM.
At this same time, the White Water Rampage was under construction, and Tech Services had a big hand in the ride's sound systems and special effects.
Our senior technician, Mel Reimer, was interviewed for the paper and quoted as saying "we're going to fix the new water ride so it will sound like a person would get his legs chomped off if he fell in". He was referring to the planned sound effects of roaring animals throughout the ride's course.
Well, someone in Upper Management saw a copy of the paper just as it was being distributed early in the morning. They read the second paragraph, and threw a major fit! The last thing they wanted was for someone outside of the park to see that quote about legs getting chomped off!
They immediately ordered all of the papers be collected and destroyed.
A makeshift replacement issue of the GRAM was thrown together for distribution that day, as the employees needed the general information the paper provided.
Since we were featured in the original paper, a few copies made it to the Tech Services shop before the big "recall". We all had a good laugh, and treated the paper as an instant collector's item. I had Melvin Williams, one of our seasonal techs, autograph his photo on the front page.
I've uploaded the full issue in my photo album under "Misc. Stuff"-
http://www.greatamericaparks.com/images ... =60&pos=26
I hope you enjoy it; odds are you've never seen it before, unless you got to work very early the morning of June 18th!
PPG
