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The blazing July Texas heat seems to draw people indoors to the magic hum of an air conditioner. But there are those who take every opportunity to mentor to little ones out of school for the summer, protect them from the deep end and serve them up something sweet to beat the heat.

The Tyler Paper photographers found a few men and women employed in the summer months at different venues in town as summertime is in full swing.

Seasonal jobs are a boost for economies nationwide, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

In information released by the BLS, Recreation workers may work in a variety of settings — for example, a cruise ship, a woodland recreational park, a summer camp, or a playground in the center of a large urban community. Regardless of the setting, most recreation workers spend much of their time outdoors and may work in a variety of weather conditions.

Summer also tends to be a jumping off point for the first-time job hunter.

Summer greets Texas teens each year with a diverse range of opportunities to earn extra money through part-time and full-time employment. Equally important, though, is for youth, their parents and prospective employers to be aware of state and federal laws impacting child-labor issues, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

In addition to those already seeking employment, statistics from recent years show an average of 100,000 additional job seekers entering the labor market in Texas searching for work between the months of April and June, according to information released from the TWC in 2006.

The time is ripe for small businesses, too. Snow cone stands and fireworks stands are particularly popular, and officials with the Northeast Texas Public Health District told the Tyler Paper 37 permits for snow cone and seasonal consession stands were granted to Smith County entrepreneurs in 2008.

Llifeguard Justin Flanagan keeps an eye on the Fun Forest Park swimming pool. “I swim for Robert E. Lee and I like to keep the water safe.”
((Staff Photo By Herb Nygren Jr.))