"10" PART ONE

 

     It was August 2015. More than two years after I left Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle as a pastor. I was working for TruGreen lawn Care doing sales and hating every minute of it. It was not meant for me. I was sitting at a Panera Bread just before my 11 am to 9 pm shift. I look up and there is Stan, one of the deacons at SGT. He told me he was opening a Chick Fil-A restaurant directly across the street. We spoke briefly and I told him about my job at TruGreen. He asked me to come to his house and give him an estimate for his lawn. It was funny that I ran into Stan because for the past month I saw him not only at Panera Bread but also at a local diner. I had heard about Chick Fil-A and went there once in Florida while on vacation. I was not familiar of its history. Apparently, the Chick Fil-A Stan was opening was the first in the state of New York with a drive thru in Port Jefferson, NY. 

     Stan and I set up an appointment for me to give an estimate for his lawn but also for another property he owned on the same street. I will never forget this moment. I was sitting on the stairs of Stan's deck writing out an estimate. He turned the corner from his garage, and he had a big smile on his face. He looked at me and said, "Hey Dave, how would you like to work for me at Chick Fil-A?" A thousand thoughts ran through my head. "What if people recognize me. Stan is from my previous church! Do I really want to work with food?' Stan said to me "You can work in the back and prep food. We will teach you." I then realized I seriously had no future with TruGreen. I was way too nice to do sales. My boss wanted me to "beat people up" to get a sale. I have always been gentle ever since I was born. I told Stan "Sure, I think I might like that." He told me he would set up and interview. I later found out that God has spoken to Stan about me to be one of his employees. That was one reason why we kept running into each other.

     Ten days later I had my interview in a trailer in front of the new Chick Fil-A, and I found out soon after I was hired. I attended the orientation a month later and saw many people I knew from SGT including my eventual boss, Eileen. I went in my black "Back of House" chef coat and listened to the vision of the restaurant and got to meet my new team members. The very next day I received a phone call from Eileen asking me if I would consider joining the "Front of House" team. She told me, in knowing me for many years that she felt I was more of a "people person" and that I would shine working amongst our "guests." I agreed and told her I was just happy to have a new job, and I didn't care where I was positioned. It turned out to be a plus for me!

     The following week I was required to attend training sessions. Our trainers were all experienced Chick Fil-A workers and 90% of them were half my age and they were from all over the U.S. We learned how to do headset, work a register, make drinks, make shakes and we learned the ins and outs of the Front of House at our Chick Fil-A. It was a lot of information, and I never thought I would ever catch on but I did...somehow! In just one week the doors of or Chick Fil-A were going to open. The night before our Grand Opening our team members along with our trainers had a celebration dinner at The Meadow Club in Port Jefferson, NY. I got to meet other new team members and at the very end, we were asked to leave the room. I was wondering what was going on. We all walked into the banquet hall and received a standing ovation from our trainers. Stan handed every team member a baton to symbolize how the baton was being passed to us. It was a great feeling, and I still have the baton! 

     The very next morning, at 5:30 a.m. exactly my new job began, and boy was it a wakeup call. It was our first day of "on the job" training where the trainers had to teach us how to open the store. It was a ton of information and after the first 15 minutes I said to myself, "Self! What did you just get yourself into?" Chick Fil-A opens at 6:30 so on that first day a red carpet was laid out for a group that was affectionately known as the "First 100." They are people who literally camped out in front of the restaurant. As a reward they received a First 100 gift card where they get 52 free Chick Fil-A sandwiches for a year. At 6:30, Stan and his wife Debbie handed cards out to the first 100 as we banged pots and pans and cheered them on. News 12 Long Island was there and Erin Colton, a news reporter interviewed guests. All I can say is that first day was insanely crazy busy. I was asked to work and extra hour and all I did that first day was deliver food to guests. I put in 10 hours! I went home, sat in my chair and fell asleep but I realized I had to do it all over again! 

     On October 7, 2025, I will be with Chick Fil-A 10 years! If you told me on that first day "You will be blogging about this experience 10 years later, I would have said "No Chance!" I honestly thought I would be doing this maybe for two years max. The plan i had for my life was to be back in full time ministry at a church out of New York being a children's pastor or maybe an assistant pastor. God had other plans, and he had so much he wanted to teach me. In my next blog installment, I will share with you my Chick Fil-A journey and where it has taken me, what I have learned and how I have used this experience in everyday life...even in South Carolina!

STAY TUNED!! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!   

     

     

REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

 

     September 11, 2001. It had to be the worst day in American history. Some people might argue that it was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor or maybe the beginning or World Wars 1 & 2. At least in my lifetime, September 11, 2001 was a horrible, tragic day and we definitely did not expect it. 

     For me it was just another day at the office. I was 37 years old at the time, married and we had 3 kids. My youngest was only 2 days short of turning 5 months old. We had just moved into a condo on the church property and were having it painted. We spent the night at my in laws house. I was scheduled to meet the painter at the condo which had furniture all over covered in plastic. I remember it being a very beautiful day with blue skies. I was in my tenth year as the children's pastor at Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle. On Tuesdays we always had a staff meeting with all the pastors. I walked into our church office and one of our secretaries Kit Farrell, who went home to be with the Lord in 2012 approached me to tell me an airplane had hit the World Trade Center in New York City. I figured it was probably a small Cessna aircraft so no big deal. When we all heard it was an actual Boeing 767, we knew it was serious. I don't think anyone realized it was an attack on our country. We all thought an airplane was having difficulties navigating. We were all wrong! I will never forget our Senior Pastors face with genuine concern. Before the meeting was about to start, the pastor told us it was cancelled and we all headed into the school auditorium to watch the newsfeed on the big screen. What turned out to be "just another day" became a nightmare for the American people. Thousands of innocent lives were lost. One was a guy I went to High School with, Pat Dwyer who was in one of the towers. I often wonder how his wife and children are doing 24 years later. I have never met them, but my heart goes out to them and thousands of other families who lost loved ones and friends.

     Living in New York on Long Island at the time was a challenge. We were trapped. We could not fly out of any airport, nor could we leave the area by car. Everything shut down. I remember driving on the Long Island Expressway, and you could actually see ashes from the Twin Towers flying over the highway in clear view. Our world came to a stop. Some even thought it was the end of the world. I do have to say that for at least a few weeks people were friendly. Strangers opened doors for you at the bank. People said hello to you. This doesn't happen in New York! The flag industry did very well financially as they sold American flags. Many flew from people's cars as well as in front of houses. For about 3 weeks our church was packed out. I remember having to put out more chairs at our Kidz for Christ service (our Children's Church) in the gym because we had so many visitors and new faces. Sadly though, after about a month, certain things went back to normal. The one thing that did change forever was airport security and security in general. Before 9/11 you could rush through security, and you could also meet someone at the gate when they got off a plane. Not anymore! Our world changed! The lines at airports for security are never ending. I am glad we are cracking down on this. 

     I also remember seeing family's bonding after that tragedy. On that day many people pulled their kids out of school, and you saw more hugs from mom's and dad's as well as grandma's and grandpa's. It's so hard to believe it will be 24 years since that dreadful day. I pray we never ever have a day like that! If anything for me, it taught me how much I need to draw near to God. I could have been in New York City on that day. I'm glad I wasn't. I am not a big fan of the "Big City", and I have only been to the Twin Towers once, in 1983 when I went with friends. 

     I just want to conclude by saying we should never forget that day and always be praying for the families who lost loved ones and friends. WE WILL NEVER FORGET!!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY EVERYONE!!