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April 1, 2005

School board member receives ovation at local grocery

Mary Jenkins still has a hard time believing it. She had just placed her carton of eggs on the conveyor belt at the Wichita Piggly Wiggly, when the elderly gentleman in front of her asked if she were Mary Jenkins from the local school board. "Well, yes ... I am," she said with hesitation, fearing what was coming next. "It's truly an honor to meet you," the man said, reaching over to shake her hand. "I see you all the time at those long board meetings, on the local cable channel. You all do such important, selfless work. To volunteer hours and hours of your time to help our kids and community like that... it really is remarkable."

Overhearing the conversation, the checkout cashier, a mother of two school-aged children, couldn't help herself. She took to the store's P.A. system and said "Attention shoppers: Sorry for the interruption, but I just wanted you to know that one of our local school board members is here right now. I think we should give her a round of...." The cashier's words were drowned out by the ensuing applause. Jenkins chokes up relating the account. "I never knew how much the community appreciated our service," she says.

Posted April 1, 2005 12:00 AM