"Behind the Scenes"

The members of the "behind the scenes" staff arrive in St. Louis almost a full week before the start of the training sessions. These folks, under the supervision of Phil and Tish Helmer, staff the office, equip the meeting and training rooms, update and print the ever changing schedules and just generally "do everything" that's needed.

The technical "behind the scenes" staff, the audio and visual staff is also under the gun to get things working right. This staff, headed by Bob and Dee Hendrickson, have been doing this job for as long as most can remember. It's so easy to take a well run video with great sound for granted, it's these dedicated people who get the job done right.

An activity as large and complex as N-TRAIN requires considerable planning and highly dedicated execution. The key to their success is their ability to remain "liquid" throughout the entire event. A constant flow of administrative work is a normal part of their day's activity. "Hey, we are here to serve and to be as helpful as we can be," said Tish Helmer.

"Behind the Counters"

An exciting and informative "Midway" was set up in the main corridor during Friday and Saturday's activities. Vendors, Coast Guard and CG Auxiliary booths provided an entertaining and educational respite from the hectic schedule of meetings and training.

Auxiliarists of the Eighth Western Rivers region manned a well stocked materials center. "Business was brisk and meeting Auxiliarists from across the country was very interesting," said one of the sales staff.