By Steve Flairty
Kentucky Today
It makes one feel good to receive good service from a public establishment or an act of good service from an individual. It feels even better when receiving vastly “over-the-top” service.
For many years, my cousin Doug and his wife, Shelia, have productively and sacrificially used their “weekend home” and farm located in Northern Kentucky along the Ohio River, in Melbourne. The couple, with the help of many volunteers, grow fruit and vegetables to give to local food missions in the area. Speaking on a personal level, the couple — for the last 20 years — has provided the planning, some foods and drinks, and hosting location for the “Bray-Flairty Family Reunion,” held every five years. On this past Saturday, our clans had another great gathering and Doug and Shelia deserved much of the credit again… even over-the-top credit. That, and the ongoing food project, of course.
But I’m just getting started with people going the second mile.
A few weeks ago, I was seeking needed material for an upcoming presentation I’ll be doing at Covington’s Behringer-Crawford Museum. I contacted the Transylvania University Library for access to their special collections section. I told the director what I was researching, and she agreed to meet there a couple of days later.
She was smack dab on it. Before our meeting, she twice emailed me excellent information links. When we met, she had a cart ready with more materials, plus she sat down with me and discussed the project, left me to peruse the materials, then returned after a scheduled meeting to talk some more. That being done, she promised to meet me a week later at the library for more help. That day came and the great service she rendered continued. Since many materials aren’t available for checkout, she allowed me to have some pages copied—which she did herself and delivered to me in a timely fashion. She made time during the hectic time in preparation for students arriving for the fall semester.
These two accounts remind me of the message of a great book I have on my shelf, The Fred Factor, by Mark Sanborn. The title and theme come from the author’s account of actions taken by a postman named Fred Shea. Mark had just moved into a house in his new neighborhood, when the postman knocked on his door, introduced himself, and enthusiastically welcomed him. The ordinary-looking Fred listened to Mark’s story of being a speaker and out of town often. Fred responded by asking Mark for his travel schedule and promised to hold his mail on those days not at home.
Soon afterward, Fred followed up with a series of other acts of service, all whole-heartedly done for Mark’s best interest. And to be sure, Fred’s actions weren’t necessarily part of his job description. He was just over the top in his service, and The Fred Factor promotes that idea.
Doug and Shelia, along with the library director at Transylvania, were certainly representing the “Fred factor,” and I also have anecdotes to share about others doing likewise. Most aren’t necessarily business-related but are examples of everyday individuals practicing a form of the Golden Rule—really well.
As a teenager, I was blessed to have Terry and Charlene Kennedy, of Grant’s Lick, in Campbell County, drive ten miles out of their way to pick me up to attend services at the Plum Creek Christian Church. The experience opened new horizons for this coming-of-age youngster, and I won’t forget their modeling the idea of going the extra mile in service.
An ongoing gracious act I see is at Wilmore Elementary School while I serve as a substitute. Each teacher stands at their door with an inviting body language. They smile, greet each student, often offering “high fives.” In fact, all teachers are expected to do so — it’s even in the prepared lesson plans. It is part of a nurturing culture, led by an amazing school principal, Monica Thompson.
It would be easy for my colleagues to stay at their desks and catch up on important paperwork or other items. I’m convinced that those moments make a difference to the students’ day, especially for those children coming from negative environments. At schools such as Wilmore — along with many other schools — it’s all about over-the-top service to representatives of America’s future.
Every day.
Back in the 20th century, my fifth-grade teacher at Grant’s Lick Elementary, Mr. Gilliam, did something awesome. It started with him being proud of his own background. He was raised in Corbin, as all know as the birthplace of KFC. But folks in Corbin also know it as a town that raised a nationally known basketball star and later, coach. Mr. Gilliam knew Frank Selvy, who was then coaching for Furman University, in South Carolina, and Mr. Gilliam knew my love for basketball. You might imagine my 11-year-old joy when I received an autographed photo from Mr. Selvy — the gesture coordinated by the over-the-top service of my fifth-grade teacher.
Here are more examples of such admirable actions:
• High schooler Josh Nadzam, who today admits he was on his way to prison by his attitude and actions, later became the founder of a mobile art studio outreach in Lexington, helping hundreds of young people in under-serviced areas. His change for the good came when he received unrelenting supportive tutelage from a caring teacher.
• For my wife, Suzanne’s, small hobby-business selling miniature flower arrangements and some larger bouquets, she relies on friends Sue and Sara to provide the vases. Sue, a nurse, brings Suzanne used medicine bottles from her hospital gathered from trash cans. Sara brings vases given to her by customers from her clutter organizing business. Both friends charge nothing to Suzanne, and their gesture of kindness is much appreciated.
• For my friend from Crestview Hills, I deem his over-the-top service in rescuing my personal plan book from a local restaurant we visited a few days earlier as Hall of Fame stuff. I’m low-tech, and the information I keep in that special book is worth more than a big hunk of money.
Seeing The Fred Factor being played out in daily life might not happen all the time, but when it does, it sure is something to share… and even to write about in a weekly column. And how about your over-the-top service experiences? Email me at sflairty2001@yahoo.com and share yours.