Reflections From A Heroic Construction Crew Worker

Ashley Handlin went to college to be a graphic designer but three years ago she decided she’d rather work with her hands.

“I don’t want to be behind a desk,” she said.

Handlin, 33, of Chittenden, is one of a few female workers on a 150-person crew building the new K-1 Lodge. She was hired for the project in June as a carpen- ter’s helper. She’s responsible for cutting pieces of material, doing prep work for subcontractors and other activities.

“A lot of it’s cleaning,” she said. “It’s not as glamorous as you think.”

Handlin doesn’t mind.

“The dirt doesn’t bother me. That’s what showers are for,” Handlin said.

“There is no better feeling than taking off your work boots and work clothes and jumping into a hot shower.”

Handlin works as a snowboard coach at Killington Resort in the winter and she hopes to be a full- time contractor. Until then, she’s using leftover materials from the K-1 site to build her own backyard snowboard park.

“I’m getting all this free material to work with,” she said.