Martin Guerra of Gering has always taken pride in working hard at any job he’s had, and he said he developed that trait as a youngster while working long, hot days in the beet fields in Scottsbluff. His solid work ethic and upbeat attitude didn’t go away when he was hit hard about 15 years ago by the West Nile virus and then last year by COVID-19, which put him in the hospital for a week and a half. Although he said he has back pain from his years working in the fields and also still suffers effects from his battles with West Nile and COVID-19, he continues to be ‘the best server I can be’ for his customers at Asian Buffet in Gering.
JEFF FIELDER Editor
GERING – Not long before Martin Guerra was born, his parents decided to migrate from Texas to Scottsbluff because they had heard there was an opportunity to earn good money working in the fields there.
During the warmer months, they spent hours hoeing beets and cleaning out ditches. Then during the colder months, his dad would drive trucks for the sugar factory in Scottsbluff.
Martin always admired his parents’ hard work ethic.
“It wasn’t easy work, and it involved working long hours sometimes, but they always did it to the best of their ability,” Martin said. “They taught me to be a hard worker all the time, and they taught me how important work is, especially in my culture. Us Hispanics, we thrive in our work, no matter what it is.”
Because of how he was raised, Martin looked forward to working in the fields himself someday. He got that opportunity when he was just 9 years old. He helped hoe beets and clean ditches.
“Even at that age, I knew the business and what had to be done,” he said.
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