POWELL, Tenn. — An East Tennessee diner with more than 50-years of service has a new worker a couple of hours a week. She has earned the title Number One Volunteer.
At Scotties in Powell, the food is good and the price is right.
Jennifer Childress was a reliable customer.
She said she likes "all of it, the whole thing. I just love it."
Down syndrome doesn't keep her down. Before she moved here from Washington State, Jennifer was a mail clerk at a community college. Her dream job would be working at The Weather Channel.
One day she mentioned to her assistant, Ally Finck, that she would like to work at Scotties.
Jennifer's mother Lyn Childress, said, "Thank goodness we have Ally because she just popped up and asked if that would be possible and it was and they made it work and she loves it!"
Pam Bell is the head cook at Scotties.
"It helps out. We have to do out napkins and stuff and jelly every day so it helps out, yeah," she said.
Head cook Pam Bell said somebody has to do it. So once a week for a couple of hours Jennifer volunteers to fill up the jelly containers and refill the napkins holders.
"I'm pretty good at doing stuff like that," Jennifer said. "Totally. I am totally organized."
He mother said, "She just has a purpose. She has a purpose now. If she could come here three days a week she would. So we're really pleased, really blessed."
Jennifer remembers a day at work earlier this month when the staff at Scotties surprised her.
"I came up here for my birthday. They made chocolate cake with chocolate frosting on top and it had my name on it," she said.
Lyn said, "It was really nice and she was just thrilled. Of course, she loves being the center of attention."
Her mom posted the picture of Jennifer with that cake on her 47th birthday. Thousands of people liked it on Facebook.
Then Jennifer delivered a thank you note to her co-workers.
She read the card posted on the wall.
"I love Scotties. It's fun to work there. Thank you for my birthday party and the Scotties shirt. I love you girls."
The Scotties shirt reads 'Jen' on the front and '#1 Volunteer' on the back.
Pam said, "Sometimes we take the little things in life for granted. And she just humbled me, she just humbled me. And we are truly blessed to have her, we are truly blessed."
She has more skills than she uses in her volunteer job. In fact, she really likes to cook.
"I can make desserts," Jennifer said.
Pam laughed. "She's probably going to try to steal my job before long."
Not any time soon.
Jennifer said, "I already have this job."
Stop by Scotties on Wednesday afternoons to see the woman they call the Number One Volunteer.