The beginnings of Ranger Sue

I've been working full time at the battlefield for over a year now, and just recently a cunning ranger doll came into my life. Eastern National, the company that runs the park's bookstore, started carrying a female doll dressed as a ranger. At first I thought this was adorable - a way to get young girls excited about the parks and perhaps being park rangers. After a while, visitors started asking me if I was the model for the doll - I thought nothing of it, smiled, and jokingly said yes. It started getting a little old when more and more visitors started picking the doll up and actually bringing her over to me to compare.

Then one slow, winter day at the park's visitor center about 4:15 pm, Ranger Bill came back to my desk and asked me for a favor:
Bill: Meg, you got a sec?
Me: Yeah sure, what's up?
Bill: I've got two little girls out front who want to meet someone famous
Me: I think you've got the wrong person
Bill: No, I've got who I'm looking for - I told the girls they could meet the ranger who modeled for the Park Ranger doll
Me: You didn't! Do I need my hat?
Bill: Of course, you've got to play the part!

So I went out with my uniform, put my hat on, and the girls were just delighted to meet the real life Park Ranger doll! Only one problem, "You're not wearing the binoculars!" said one of the little girls. So I went around the back of the desk and put on a pair of binoculars which seemed to give them some satisfaction. The girls took their picture with me, the doll, and their Junior Ranger hats - this photo is featured in the last edition of the park's newsletter "The Sentinel."

Nothing made me happier than seeing these girls light up when they got to meet the real life Park Ranger doll. It wasn't until spring 2011 that I would purchase my very own doll - her name, Ranger Sue!