ODD JOBS: Fun on four wheels
Skate guard's job involves dancing, gaming and a 'party machine"?
"We are in charge of everyone's feet," she said.
Witwer, 17, has worked two years at Great Skate, a youth-oriented roller rink located at 130 Boone Hills Drive in St. Peters. She handles skate rentals, helping customers select the right size and style.She asks every customer if they want in-line skates or quads.
"They say they want the kind with four wheels," she said. "But all our skates have four wheels. In-line skates have four wheels in a row."
The Fort Zumwalt South senior said she especially enjoys working with middle school-aged skaters.
"They are funny little boys with their voices cracking," she said. "They are high-energy, wild kids that keep things entertaining."
Witwer also cleans the rink, skating around with a dust mop. Kids often drop their gum on the rink, creating a sticky mess for Witwer.
When she is not cleaning on roller skates, she is dancing on them. Witwer uses her high school pompom skills to whoop kids into excitement, leading them in the cha-cha, electric slide, hokey pokey and other dances. She also leads them in games that involve rolling giant, fuzzy dice.
Kids can step inside a "party machine" that blows tickets all around them. The tickets are redeemable for prizes. They have 30 seconds to grab as many tickets as they can. Their friends watch from outside, with Witwer leading them in chanting the kid's name.
Witwer said her career goal is to become a "teen pop idol."
