Welcome to Sender One’s Sendemic Series!
Every person is experiencing something different during this unexpected time in our lives. We want to share your perspectives by featuring stories, essays, art, small businesses, and more from our very own community.
If you’d like to share how you’re coping with covid, please fill out the submission form HERE.
This week we’re highlighting one of our awesome routesetters and woodworker extraordinaire - Kris Terry!
1. Let's introduce you - who are you, when did you start working at Sender One, and what is your role here?
My name is Kris Terry, I grew up in Northern California where I discovered my love for woodworking and rock climbing. I am a husband to the most amazing woman I have ever met. We have a lovely two year old daughter together. I love getting outside and spending time with my friends and family.
I started working at Sender One in 2016. I have a few different roles at Sender, I’m the Santa Ana Assistant Foreman Routesetter, and I also run the wood shop as “Chief Master Whittler”.
2. What do you enjoy most about working at Sender One?
Sender One is a company that I believe in. I feel like this is a place that has continued to give me opportunity to grow and build upon my passion for routesetting and wood working. We have an amazing team and community that I am so happy to be a part of!
3. How have you been coping during the pandemic?
These times are really hard, I have been really happy to have the support of my family and Sender One. I have managed to stay happy by looking at all the positives. I get to see my family more, I am making hangboards for our community, the other night I went outside and stars were brighter than I have ever seen. Some days are scarier then other days but there is a light at the end of this tunnel that has kept me going.
4. What's been your go-to activity while staying safer at home?
Gardening! My family dug up a corner of our yard and we have a vegetable garden growing. It has been really fun getting my daughter planting with us and helping us water and tend to the garden. Also the occasional spoon carving.
5. You're one of the main guys behind the Sender One hangboards. Can you tell us how the process has been with making these for the community?
Yeah! The process has been really fun. Marcus (another routesetter) and I were presented with the idea of making hangboards and we ran with it. We kept bouncing ideas off each other, making a board, changing our ideas, then making more. When the first prototype of the “MEGA BOARD” was done we knew we were onto something. It took some fine tuning and figuring out how to effectively produce these boards, but here we are. We have something that I think we can be proud of and it is for our community, which making it even sweeter.
6. Do you have any advice for our community during these times?
Try to focus on the positive, which I know is easier said than done. Find joy in cooking, try something new, talk to friends and family, garden even if it is just a single flower in a pot. Things will start to get better but remember to stay safe.
7. What are you looking forward to most after the quarantine is over?
When all this is over, I’m going to enjoy making big homegrown salads. I have also been really itching to go fly fishing and also do some climbing with friends.
If you see Kris around, make sure to thank him for his awesome work and give him an air five from a distance! He didn't mention this, but he's also been the one behind those really cool, long holds you've seen up as a route more recently and a number of the volumes around the gyms. So. Much. Talent.
Thanks for being part of the Sender One crew, Kris! We're lucky to have you.