Joelle Schumacher receives a hiking pole from Rotary President Dick Kroese.
Patti Albaugh
Joelle Schumacher spoke to SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Club about working as a cashier at Bashas’ in Catalina. She compared the goals of Rotary to the goals of a neighborhood grocery. Rotarians pledge to help a community through donations and work projects. So does Bashas’! As an Arizona company, Bashas’ supports in-state charitable organizations that benefit children and families, education, health and human services, veterans, the needy, the disadvantaged and the elderly. Bashas’ volunteers have helped children learn to read, assembled back-to-school tool kits for United Way, sorted toys for Salvation Army, served meals to the hungry and more. Sounds a lot like Rotarians!
Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self,” which means that Rotarians want to make a difference in people’s lives. Schumacher described the difference a cashier can make in a customer’s life—a smile, a thank you, a hug or nodding with sympathy at a customer’s complaint. “You never know why a person may be quiet, cranky or distant. Sometimes all that person needs to know is that he or she matters.” The people connection is what makes the constant product scanning worthwhile.
If you’re ever in Bashas’ and you see the bubbly cashier with short gray hair and extraordinary glasses (she changes them to match her clothing), give her a warm hello. You’ll be paying forward to the next customer she helps cheer.
SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Club is proud of all our members who make contributions of time and money to assist those within our community and over the world. We meet every Thursday at noon in the Catalina Room next to the Mesquite Grill. Please contact Ron Lenz, membership chair, at 262-358-0130. Come and check us out, join our club, become a Rotarian!