The Van Buren County Road Commission will honor its employees this month with its third annual Employee Appreciation Day.

Commission Managing Director Bret Witkowski tells us they’ll set aside most of September 30 for the celebration that will feature lunch, some awards for staff, and a driving competition.

Witkowski says he started the Employee Appreciation Day because road workers often face dangerous working conditions, impatient drivers, and brutal weather. He wants them to know it’s worth it.

“If you don’t take time to acknowledge your staff and appreciate them and let them know they’re appreciated, the job doesn’t become something you enjoy,” Witkowski said. “It just becomes something you have to do. And that’s not what I want for our staff. I want it to be something that they look forward to coming to most days.”

Witkowski says the drivers will take part in their annual Rodeo, a test of their skills driving road commission vehicles like plows.

“So it’s a driving test that is set up via GPS and the winner then goes on to the state competition.”

Nearly 60 Van Buren County Road Commission employees will be there, along with county officials, and Witkowski says he’s invited all the township supervisors in the area.

The event will be held at the Van Buren County Road Commission garage in Lawrence and go for most of the day. However, if the road commission is needed to respond to a problem on the roads, the staff will spring into action.