Lance Cameron is the latest recipient of a $3,000 “Come Home” talent attraction award, including $500 in community perks made up of a variety of gift cards to Port Huron restaurants, Sperry’s Moviehouse and a couple others tied to his interests and hobbies – fishing and golf.
The process started when Robert Arnold Jr., Lance’s current supervisor at BMJ Engineers & Surveyors, submitted a talent attraction application on his behalf in March. Lance has been with BMJ since April 15 and recently moved into an apartment in Port Huron.
Below is a Q&A with Lance, formerly of Linwood, MI, after he has had a few weeks to get settled in:
What does receiving this award mean to you: Receiving this award means a couple different things to me. I was blindsided by a layoff from my previous employer that was supposed to last one and a half months but turned into three months, so I had to get very tight on my budgeting skills and my “fun money”. Then the layoff turned into a downsizing and loss of my job.
The personalized gift cards are really going to help me be able to go out and enjoy this new community I’ve been fortunate enough to become a part of now and genuinely enjoy myself, without that little voice on my shoulder telling me I should not be spending money on eating out or fun.
The check I received was a nice replacement cushion for coming up with my first month’s rent/security deposit and helped me not have to pull as much out of my savings. Receiving this award has meant welcome to a fresh new start and the glass is finally looking half full again.
How are you settling into Port Huron and your new job: I am settling into Port Huron very well. This is my first time living in a city and it’s honestly been everything I could hope for. I am literally six minutes away from anything I can think of like grocery stores or restaurants. The nearest chess club near where I previously lived was over 40 minutes away, and now I found out there is one within a mile of where I am living! Coming from having to drive at least 30 minutes to do anything, I feel spoiled coming to Port Huron and having anything I want so close.
I am really starting to get into a rhythm at my new job as well, I’ve been in surveying for over four years now and all I knew before BMJ was big money, interstate highway jobsites two plus hours away from where I lived and where my community was. BMJ is a nice change of pace with work in and around my actual community with projects I’m working on that I will actually be able to take advantage of when completed. It’s an honor to be a part of such a reputable company that wants to help in its own community development and betterment.
Where did you work before: I worked for a surveying company north of Bay City, as a crew chief/grade checker where I focused mostly on interstate highway road construction projects.
I know you have an uncle who lives in Emmett, so how familiar were you with the Blue Water Area prior to living here: Prior to moving here, I have only been to the Blue Water Area two or three times and those times were to go fishing out of the St. Clair River with my uncle. So really not familiar by any means – all I really knew was how good the walleye fishing is here from my uncle!