A few weeks ago, I opened a really lovely email from the Photo Director of the Huffington Post’s new iPad magazine, Huffington, requesting to see a gallery of images that I took from the Always Brothers 100 Miles for Lima Company run in May. Huffington was writing a story on Dean Allen Smith, the President of Always Brothers. I may have jumped up and down quietly a few times before responding.
But, as these things go, it doesn’t pay to get excited until the piece actually runs. As I’m learning, in the publishing world (as with the rest of the world), things change, stories get cut, pieces get rescheduled.
That’s why this morning, I’m allowing myself to be over the moon…for just a few minutes.
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If you have an iPad, you can get the free Huffington Magazine by clicking here. Thanks to the crew at Huffington, and to the wonderful people of Always Brothers for the work you’ve done, the work you’re doing, and for letting me be a part of it.
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+ - 2 comments
Brian O'Neill - Awesome stuff. Your pictures are amazing and they really tell the story.
Gerald F. Merna - And Dean Smith is at it again. What a guy. When he lived and worked here in Northern Virginia as a Managing Partner of a local Diner, he organized the collection of items for our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan by not only placing collection barrels in the lobby of his diner, but also visiting area schools to personally pick up items donated by school children all over Northern Virginia. He would personally make up the packages and lug them to the post office as soon as there were enough items to fill a package. He would solicit names of any military person serving overseas from any of his customers and ensure they were all included.
It was Dean Smith who went around to your table to introduce himself, to see if all was going well, and if he could do anything else to make your stay more pleasant. The congeniality and friendliness displayed by this giant of a man (well over six feet with matching weight), belied his former serious and weighty “occupation” as a Marine Security Guard at Camp David, Maryland, where with other members of his detachment, he was responsible for the security of the President of the United States and the many world leaders and dignitaries that visited that historic site.
A family man with two young children, Dean Smith “invested” not only in his work, but in his community as well. Nothing was too much trouble, as he worked with schools and teachers, encouraging them to bring the school children to tour the Diner, following which they invariably wrote the “thank you notes,” or drew pictures characteristic of children, which Dean then hung on the lobby windows, alongside the letters received from military personnel overseas who wrote to thank him for the “care packages” they received through his efforts. All of this delighted the customers waiting to be seated; to this end, Dean ensured that no matter how long the line, everyone usually got into a booth within 10 to 15 minutes.
Dean Smith was an unusually talented and customer oriented individual who made everyone visiting “his” Diner, whether for a cup of coffee or a full dinner, feel like “family.” His wait staff was also truly remarkable, warm, polite, and friendly, reflecting the leadership of their manager. He was the one who came as Santa Claus at the employee Christmas party; he also encouraged and allowed his employees to use the “back of the house” for baby or wedding “showers.”
My (now deceased) wife and I had breakfast at this Diner almost every day and occasional dinners as well. We can attest to all of the above.
I greatly miss this man who decided it was time to go back to his roots in Michigan, where his ailing mother lived, and start his own Landscaping Company. Its name aptly reflects Dean’s personality, Sunflower Landscaping.
So “his March continues” running marathons and raising funds for military veterans, especially his beloved Marines. We shared that love of our Corps in common, and I will forever be grateful for having the privilege of knowing Marine Dean (nice rhyme there) Smith. Semper Fi, Dean, looking forward to seeing you back here in VA on your next pilgrimage.
Jerry Merna, Mustang Marine