I wrote this a couple of days ago and then took it down. I didn't want to get in the middle....And I tried to keep my mouth shut, but I've never been very good at keeping my mouth shut!
I was fifteen when I got my first real job at Chick-fil-A in the Spotsylvania Mall. I spent most of my week nights and every Saturday afternoon there until I went off to college. It is where I learned to count back money the old fashioned way. It's where I saw the owner/operator pour his heart and soul into his business. Mr. Fleming invested his time, money and trust into employees who, for the most part, weren't old enough to vote yet. He taught us how to serve by following his example. He gave me a chance and a college scholarship.
He sent chicken to my high school graduation party and to my wedding reception.
Mr. Fleming, thank you. You made a lasting impression on my life.
Chick-fil-A has been apart of "me" for the (cough, cough) twenty years.
My husband has worked for this company for the past three years. What we thought was a temporary job has become quite permanent. The owners/operators of our local Chick-fil-A are an incredible couple with a beautiful family. They not only serve every customer with honor, dignity and respect, they value and appreciate each of their employees.
I've been a witness and a recipient of their kindness.
I can't adequately express my gratitude to Jason and Kathryn Branch.
Chick-fil-A is an extension of our family. From the eighty-nine year old hostess to the sixteen year old cashier, these people are precious to us. We love them.
So, today is just as good a day to appreciate Chick-fil-A as any other....
I just couldn't read another facebook status without throwing this out there.
We have very similar Chick-fil-A histories! I worked there for a several years in high school. It is where my husband and I met, and it became a career for him. He has worked there for 18 years now and runs 2 stores. Chick-fil-A has been an incredible blessing in our lives...and I've watched as they blessed the lives of so many others. My favorite story is when my brother (who was doing rotations as a pharmaceutical resident) met a terminally ill child. The child hadn't eaten in days, and the only thing that sounded good was a Chick-fil-A chicken salad sandwich. Unfortunately, they had recently changed the recipe for the chicken salad and the new version wasn't hitting the right spot with this little guy. So my brother, having worked his way through college at Chick-fil-A himself, called up the store, and within an hour or two they had whipped up a batch of the old chicken salad and hand-delivered it to this sweet boy. And this kind of occurrence isn't uncommon at Chick-fil-A's across the country. It's unfortunate that these stories and the genuine, caring people behind them get lost in all the debate.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that story, Jenn. So many, many people have been blessed by the kindness of Chick-fil-A... we are just a few of them!
Delete