As she marvels on her collection of mugs, travel cups and glasses, packing them into an old Amazon Prime box, Mrs. Lori Brumm, main office secretary, reminisces on the numerous dances and events she attended to acquire them.
“They’re from different dances I chaperone. My favorite is senior banquet. People don’t really have dates. It’s just the class. It’s surprising how many people say ‘Gosh, I didn’t know you were a senior.’ It’s cute,” Brumm said.
Brumm began her career at the school in 1990 when she received an unexpected call.
“A friend of mine called me up and said, ‘Hey Lori they’re interviewing for a position at the school. Do you want to come?’ I didn’t have a resume or anything. I just walked in here and that principal interviewed me and told me to stick around,” Brumm said.
She wasn’t immediately put in the office, though, where she is today.
“I just did study halls and detentions. For four and a half years I did that. Study halls and detentions. I would apply for many jobs. There were many openings and I just didn’t get them. Then the superintendent came up to me and said ‘You know what? Tell me what you want. You’re too good at what you do.’ I looked her straight in the eye and said ‘That will change tomorrow.’ She asked me what I wanted and I told her,” Brumm said.
A jar of mints and butterscotch candies, one of the few remaining pieces of her office, commemorates her mission that she began when she first received her sought-after position as the head secretary in the main office.
“I wanted to make the office a place where kids would feel comfortable, not feel afraid. Because if they had a problem I wanted them to feel comfortable to come here so we could help them. They shouldn’t be afraid to come and see a principal if they wanted to talk. That’s what I tried to create and I hope I accomplished that,” Brumm said.
Just around the corner from the deserted-looking office is Michelle Stamper, treasurer. The two became friends in 2009 when Stamper joined the office staff and they have caused mayhem together ever since.
“We’re like Lucy and Ethel from I Love Lucy. We laugh at everything. It’s just stupid stuff that nobody gets. Lori and I, working here, kind of laugh at the same stuff. It’s more than a coworker. It’s a friend that gets your humor. It’s good to have someone thats like you so that you aren’t the only person getting in trouble for being loud. It’s a friend that becomes a part of you. She’s my go-to person,” Stamper said.
As she prepares her farewells during her final week of work, Brumm admires her absolute favorite part of holding her position.
“It’s always the people. It’s always the kids. It’s always the staff. Being in the position that I am now, sometimes they are afraid to talk to administration so they bounce stuff off of me and I bounce stuff off of the principals and we kind of go back and forth to figure something out. It’s kind of neat because then you’re working with friends. Then they’re not coworkers- they’re just friends. I told my kids when they began looking for work, ‘Find a job you love.’ Because there will be days that you’ll hate going into work. There will. But loving your job- you’ll get through,” Brumm said.
Thank you, Mrs. Brumm, for the dedication, love and spirit that you have given to Lake Central. We will miss you dearly and we wish you the very best.
