Thanksgiving Reflections

As I returned from the holiday break, I decided to actually take some time to think about all the things that I am truly thankful for. When I first started listing things, I realized that most of what I was thinking about were things that I was happy that I have. So I had to pretty much start over and really think about the things that I really and truly couldn't do without. My answer was so simple that it almost made me feel bad that it didn't hit me right away. The thing that I am the most thankful for is my office and the people working here.

When you read this, please don't think that I'm just trying to be that boss that pretentiously praises his people to look good. Anybody who actually knows me will tell you that I, of all people, am not that guy. I want to share a story that makes me humble and proud, at the same time. I feel like this is a true reflection of the quality of the team that we here at Lucky 13 have.

Every month, we at Lucky 13 take on a philanthropy to help out the local community. Clothing drives, blood drives, volunteering in various ways to a host of different local causes. Right before the holiday break, we all went over to a place that we have worked with in the past to spend a few hours making food for those less fortunate. Last year, we went over and made a lot of desserts for people, and our plan was to do the same thing this year. We contacted the home and set the day and time to return this year for our thanksgiving baking extravaganza.

Once we got there and invaded the kitchen to begin making every possible dessert that you could think of, the director of the home came out to meet us. She looked at us with a look of almost sheer panic. She informed us that the person that we had spoken with was an intern and had accidentally promoted this as a Thanksgiving meal. She had posted flyers all over the house to draw as much of a crowd for it as possible.  There were, in fact, people beginning to come down to see what all we had brought / made for them. We informed the director that all we had brought to make were deserts. I offered to order in some real food or to go hit the store, to get something to make for the 25 plus people that we were now expected to feed. I was told that there was no time. That is when I was lucky enough to witness something truly spectacular.

With half of us elbow deep in brownie mix and cookie dough, something hit the kitchen that no one could have expected. Half of our guys immediately raided the pantry and fridge and figured out that there was enough stuff there to whip up a spaghetti dinner. So, with half the room still churning out desert after desert, the other half sprung into action and began tackling the actual food part of dinner. Noodles began to boil, various meats began to be thawed and cooked, and sauce began to be made (basically from scratch as cans of tomato paste were all we had to work with). Orders were barked, things were dropped, people got bumped into, but more and more began to get done. We were cleaning as fast as we were cooking, as we had limited pots and pans at our disposal. When it was all said and done, we produced a full spaghetti meal complete with meat sauce and garlic bread, for over 25 people. The people came in and began to take part in the feast as our guys were still cranking out deserts, as fast as the ones in the oven finished baking. Several people came back for seconds to validate the quality of our efforts. It took us a few extra hours, but in the end we finished off the last of the brownies and set them out to cool. The kitchen was cleaned up better than we found it, the people there were full and thankful, and we were all exhausted.

What I was so proud of was the team work that it took to pull off this amazing feat. First of all, no one complained. No one said, "Hey, that's not our problem", and no one bailed early. Every single person there blew off the plans that they had already made for later that night and committed to making this happen. It wasn't easy and it wasn't pretty, at times. But in the end we got the job done, and that's what matters. To see a group of young adults step up in mass and put the needs of others before their own was a sight to see. Even more impressive was the amount of genuine fun that we all had in the process. As the last of us were leaving, the director met us at the door, hugged us, and thanked us for saving the day. One of our guys looked at her and simply said. "Hey, that is what we do."

I could not be more proud, and thankful, to be a part of this company and to be part of what we stand for. I'm not only thankful that I get to come to work every day, with people that I truly consider to be some of my best friends, but that they are the kind of people that I can be proud to be around for who they are as individuals.


BOSS