Seasonal Amusement Park Employee receives State Honour Blooloop

A lost (and then found) first baby tooth has resulted in a seasonal Holiday World employee receiving a state-wide honor from Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman.

Lauren Wahl, 19, of Ferdinand, was recently invited to the Statehouse Rotunda to receive a Hoosier Hospitality Award for her efforts to retrieve a lost baby tooth for a young park guest.

“We found out about this story last summer when the little boy’s mother wrote us a thank-you note and even sent a photo of her son, ” says Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari president Will Koch. “We named Lauren our Hostess of the Week and posted the story and photo on our park blog. When the opportunity came to nominate one of our front-line employees for this award, we thought of Lauren right away.”

Last summer, the little boy from Tennessee was eating a chocolate-covered apple at Mrs. Klaus’ Kitchen. Thinking he’d bit into an apple seed, he spit it in the trash. When his mom realized it was his first lost baby tooth, she went back to look in the trash for it. Lauren and another park employee soon brought out gloves and helped to dig through the “goop” until the tiny tooth was recovered.

Lt. Governor Becky Skillman presented Lauren with a “Hoosier Hospitality Award” plaque, thanking the University of Evansville student for her “positive contribution to Indiana’s tourism industry.” This is Lauren’s fifth season working in Holiday World’s foods department.

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari are now open daily. New rides this season include Star Spangled Carousel and Reindeer Games in Holiday World and Kima Bay waterplay attraction in Splashin’ Safari. For more information, visit www.holidayworld.com or call toll-free 1-877-463-2645.

In Bemusement:
Focusing on Families
Living the Tradition: notes from a Family Owned and Operated Theme and Water Park

Photos are of Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman presenting the Hoosier Hospitality Award to Lauren Wahl.