Perfect Weather for Skating, If You Can Reach the Ice

Dedicated rink employees work so we can play

How did you feel when saw your car encased in a solid block of snow? If you think your dig out was daunting, imagine what it’s like to work at Pentagon Row Outdoor Skating Plaza in Arlington, Va.

Four employees -- Richard Villena, Glenn Caldaro, Anshal Rhode and Harry Tran -- arrived on Sunday morning to find the rink smothered by 24 inches of snow, courtesy of the Blizzard of 2010. Clearly this job would be more than just one Zamboni could handle.

The industrious employees got right to work with shovels and a snow blower, manager Lance Curran said.

It took from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. to clear the snow off the rink, the mats and the benches -- eight solid hours of back-breaking work.

They finished just in time. Believe it or not, 200 people braved the snowy conditions and showed up to skate Sunday night.

How do you reward dedication like that?

“They’ll get to go to a nice restaurant for a great dinner,” Curran said.

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