When we think about leaving a legacy, our minds don’t immediately jump to school cafeterias or fast food restaurant chains. That’s probably because we’re adults. Some exceptional young people are using their surroundings to build legacies early on; I recently came across these two examples:
The Matchmaker Logistics headquarters is located on Oleander Drive in Wilmington, NC. And, just a mile or so down the road, sits the fast food giant of the south, Chick-Fil-A. Renowned for great customer service, the workers at this restaurant elevate the chicken sandwich to a fine-dining experience: fresh flowers on every table, table-side service, and their signature “My Pleasure” in response to each thank you from a client.
It’s hard to imagine kicking THAT kind of service up another notch, but one worker at my very own Chick-Fil-A went viral for doing exactly that. Possibly the most pleasant person to ever work the drive -thru, Jeremiah Murrill radiates positivity.
He often works the outdoor queue, serving hurried customers wanting fast service in their cars. At lunchtime, the line circles the building three lanes deep. Seemingly unfazed, Jeremiah expertly keeps the line moving while providing an entertaining, personalized touch with every order. Ask anyone who frequents this Chick-Fil-A location, and they’ll tell you – Jeremiah’s attitude is that upbeat and infectious all of the time. He has his own local fan club, with customers saying they often go to the restaurant just to soak up a little bit of Jeremiah’s sunny disposition.
Then, there is this young lady, a soft-spoken kindergartner who decided to open a cocoa and cookie stand to pay off the school lunch debts of her fellow classmates. The five-year-old’s fundraiser inspired the entire community, and before she knew it, little Kiki Hardee had blown past the $616 required to eliminate her school’s lunch debt. In fact, Kiki’s Kindness Project paid off the entire district’s lunch debt, totaling more than $7,000!
These stories inspire me to do more and be better. They also remind us that whether we’re as small as a kindergartner or as humble as a college student super-sizing meals at a fast food restaurant, we can all make a difference in the lives of others. When interviewed by Fox News, Jeremiah said: “I just want to help people in any way I can, so seeing someone’s day transformed by a little kindness is amazing.”
Fuel for thought,
Bob
P.S. Thank you for helping us raise enough money to feed one child for an entire calendar year through Nourish NC. Want to help us super-size our donation? Just $10 more will feed another child for a weekend!
