Barbara Rnjak, whose last name is phonetically pronounced Ren-jack, is the manager of Woodfords Inn, her son Craig Rnjak is the landscaper and maintenance man and Cannon Rnjak is the official greeter and also is in charge of security.
All three share optimistic outlooks of life, but I am especially smitten with Cannon's penchant for chasing soccer balls on the lawn and his enthusiastic fondness for Milk Bones. Cannon is a seven-year-old golden retriever, who is as important as his human counterparts in the management of the 20-room Woodfords Inn. When the snow is deep, guests are often amused to see Cannon eagerly greeting them from a low-hanging roof.
Since shortly after the untimely death of Woodfords Inn owner Garth McCormack, Barbara Rnjak has managed the inn. She has always loved this area, and when she answered the ad placed by new owner Ted Chavez in The Record-Courier six years ago, she was ecstatic to be selected for the position of manager.
Self-described as a "mountain person," Barbara likes to fish and snowshoe. While she's waiting for guests to arrive, she attends to indoor hobbies of knitting and crocheting and taking care of house plants luxuriating in the office and lobby. She enjoys "interacting with guests, on the phone and in person."
She raised her two children, Craig and Suzanne, at South Lake Tahoe. There, she held a variety of jobs, including driving the city bus and trolley and giving tours of the scenic area. On those tours, she often met foreigners who didn't speak English. "With gestures and smiles you can still communicate," she claims.
Mother and son have a combined total of almost 50 years in the hospitality business, with experience in both lodging and restaurant.
Craig Rnjak is an accomplished cook, having been a professional chef in hotel restaurants, and along with his maintenance work at the inn, he occasionally ventures forth to cater parties.
Another person on the Rnjaks' team is room-cleaner Vonda Guthrie, who in Barbara's words, "works with me, and I couldn't do without her."
Guests at the Woodfords Inn usually hail from Sacramento or the Bay Area, but Rnjak says they have their share of "locals." She defines "locals" as being residents of Carson Valley, Carson City, Lake Tahoe and Reno. These folks come for the same reasons as other guests Ð for the peace and quiet, to get away from phones, faxes and emails, for the numerous outdoor activities that Alpine County has to offer, for a special event and for government conferences.
Woodfords Inn offers a 15 percent discount on regular room rates for county, state or federal employees and for locals. It's true that the rooms are without phones, but each room has TV with cable, VCR and a video and book library in the lobby.
The outdoor spa is a welcoming spot whether in summer or winter, but perhaps it's appreciated the most when the lawn is covered with snow, and the wind is howling through the tall pines.
n Gina Gigli is a Markleeville resident. Reach her at ginagigli@villagigli.com.
