Phyllis McAdoo, a pharmacist for seven years at the Hy-Vee Pharmacy on Clinton Parkway and Kasold Drive, fills out a prescription last week. At an age when many people have retired, McAdoo continues to work because she enjoys her job.

Life and death are all in day’s work for Lisa Pickel and Jake Barnett.

For Pennie Dubisar-Cross and Phyllis McAdoo, their daily bread is earned by helping others.

Today, the four workers and thousands of other Lawrence residents like them are celebrating Labor Day.

Here is a compilation of stories about everyday people and their jobs written and reported by fellows from the Citizen Journalism Academy, which is sponsored by The World Company and Kansas University’s School of Journalism.

Baby business

Every day is labor day for Lisa Pickel.

The 38-year-old labor and delivery nurse has spent 13 years on the maternity ward at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Despite 12-hour shifts three days a week, she says she never tires of the most rewarding aspect of her work.

“The best part of the job is watching new life come into this world. You never get tired of being a part of that,” she said.

Pickel’s workday begins at 6:50 a.m. She says August, September and October are statistically the busiest birth months, but there is no predictor of the daily workload in her occupation. A ‘good’ day can hinge on adequate staffing and room availability.

And a bad day?

“The key to happy nurses is a lunch break,” says Pickel, even if that means take-out pizza eaten in a room full of fetal monitors.

According to Pickel, three qualities are important for a labor and delivery nurse. It’s essential to be a good communicator, a good critical thinker and a good cheerleader.

“When a patient is in labor, in pain and exhausted, I need to be able to bring out something in them that they don’t think they have, but they do,” she said.

Pickel clocks out around 7:15 p.m. and heads home to her husband and five sons, ages 4 to 16. All five were born at LMH.

“At the end of the day, if I’ve provided good patient care, it’s been a good day. I feel good about the job I’ve done.”

– Lori Vinoverski

Death is no stranger

How does someone who deals in death stay motivated to go to work every day?

For Jake Barnett, Lawrence Funeral Chapel director, the answer comes easily.

“I take a lot of satisfaction in the job. It means a lot to be able to help families who are in an unpleasant situation, to not just help them with the grieving but to help them celebrate a life.”

Barnett, 29, a second generation funeral director, tried on other occupational hats – construction worker, bartender and garage door installer – before settling into the family business. He has memories of attending mortuary school with his father, and remembers passing out Halloween candy from the back door of the family home while a viewing was taking place in the front of the house.

“This just feels right,” he said. “This job chooses you, you don’t choose the job.”

The grim reaper takes no holidays, meaning Barnett’s job has taken him from the Thanksgiving table and from bed in the middle of the night. It essentially requires him to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

He counts on his compassion and personal rapport to survive the emotional toll of burying a young mother the week before Christmas or burying best friends and relatives. But the thing that affects him most is when children die.

“In this job you become very aware of how precious life is, of how precious every day we’ve been given really is.”

– Lori Vinoverski

Dispensing health

Phyllis McAdoo, 66, works beyond retirement age because she enjoys her job. She’s a pharmacist at the Clinton Parkway Hy-Vee Food & Drug Store.

She graduated from Kansas University in 1963, then lived, worked and raised her family in Los Angeles and Wichita before returning to Lawrence in 1988 to run her own pharmacy at 25th and Iowa streets. Hy-Vee acquired her store in 2000 and she’s been working for it since.

“Being part of a process that helps people become more educated about their health and treatment is an honor,” McAdoo said.

Her job requires flexibility and knowledge. In addition to dispensing drugs, checking interactions or allergic responses, and contacting insurance companies, she’s on the phone constantly answering drug-related questions. She’s also available for face-to-face consultations.

The most challenging part of her job is dealing with the “bottom lines” of insurance companies.

“The lines shift constantly. I hate telling people they can’t have affordable drugs,” she said.

When she’s not working, McAdoo gardens, reads science fiction and mystery novels, and travels. She’s been to Europe three times. Today, she’ll be on her first visit to Seattle.

– Eileen Roddy

Step one, call Pennie

If someone needs help, Pennie Dubisar-Cross is there.

Dubisar-Cross is the Community Developmental Disabilities Organization liaison for Douglas and Jefferson counties. She is the single point-of-entry into the system of service providers.

Helping individuals with developmental disabilities and their families begin their journey toward a better life, Dubisar-Cross’ office is where eligibility for state or federal assistance is determined.

For those who may not be eligible but still need help, Dubisar-Cross suggests other options and provides referrals. Without Dubisar-Cross and the packet of information she gives her clients, finding services such as case management, counseling or residential support services is difficult.

Dubisar-Cross – who has 20 years in the field as a case manager, supportive homecare worker and group home staff member, and has a family member with special needs – understands the sense of urgency many people feel as they seek help.

“It is very important to call, regardless of your question,” she advises.

As to her perspective on the job, Dubisar-Cross said, “Every day is different. I enjoy working with the different agencies in town. I’m glad they are out there. Also, I like to see progress being made, instead of people just waiting.”

Progress happens once Dubisar-Cross starts working with her clients. She can be reached through Cottonwood Inc. at 842-0550.

– Denise Gossage