At Palmetto Goodwill, we celebrate not only the collective efforts of our team but also the individual triumphs that highlight the true spirit of our mission. One such inspiring moment came when Larry, a longtime food service worker at Joint Base Charleston’s Site 392, reached a significant professional milestone by successfully serving on the galley line—a role he had previously found challenging.
Larry’s achievement was made possible through the dedicated coaching and support of his supervisor, Jordan. By using one-on-one instruction, demonstrating proper techniques and patiently guiding Larry through each step, Jordan played a key role in helping Larry develop his skills and confidence.
During the meal service, Larry demonstrated impressive improvement in critical areas, including food portioning, maintaining a clean and professional workstation, and enhanced plate presentation for Navy customers. Despite challenges such as serving at the required pace while maintaining good customer service and occasionally becoming distracted, Larry rose to the occasion and delivered excellent results.
This accomplishment had a positive impact on the entire galley team. According to leadership, watching Larry overcome challenges brought a sense of satisfaction and pride to the team, while inspiring his fellow food service workers to push beyond their own perceived limitations.
Larry’s growth in this role means that he may now be considered for key positions during short-staffed situations, where his willingness to step up could encourage him to continue learning additional workstations.His goal is to take on more mainline serving opportunities with less supervision and, eventually, be assigned to the loading workstation in the scullery—a designated kitchen area for cleaning and dish washing tasks.
Having worked at Palmetto Goodwill for more than 23 years, Larry shared that he enjoys tending to the cups and cleaning the windows and values working alongside his team members. Reflecting on his recent achievement, Larry said it makes him feel good to serve Navy customers and that with more effort, he believes he can do even more.
Larry’s story is a powerful example of perseverance and growth. His willingness to face challenges, coupled with the support of a dedicated supervisor and an encouraging team, underscores the mission of Palmetto Goodwill: to foster an environment where individuals can develop, achieve and inspire others.
Congratulations to Larry on this well-deserved accomplishment! We look forward to seeing his continued success.
