Produce Clerk Melody Sieminski, #1807, Milton, Florida, made home and hospital visits to show compassion to a regular customer.
Melody’s work ethic embodies this quote from our founder, Mr. George: “We’re not only in the grocery business, we’re in the people business.” She goes above and beyond to serve customers.
“You see a lot of the same people shopping at the store, especially older people, and you eventually have a conversation with them,” said Melody. That is how she began to build a relationship with Miss Chris. Melody got to know Miss Chris and discovered that she lived alone and had no family in the area.
During the 2023 holiday season, Melody noticed that Miss Chris hadn’t come to the store in a while, but she did not know how to contact her. The next time Miss Chris came back to the store, she explained that her health had declined. Melody offered Miss Chris her phone number so she could call if she needed anything.
In February 2024, Miss Chris called, and Melody answered.
“I got a call from Miss Chris. She had fallen, broken her pelvis and was hospitalized,” said Melody. “I came into work and grabbed some flowers and a snack. Then I went to the hospital and sat with her for a few hours.”
Over the next few weeks, Melody visited Miss Chris at her home and delivered her medication.
“To me, this act wasn’t anything outside of the box. It was being a human being and showing compassion,” explained Melody. “If I can brighten someone’s day for 5 minutes, I have done my job.”
Because of her commitment to providing premier service to her customers, Melody was given the Mr. George Gold Coin Award.
Take a moment to read about other Mr. George Gold Coin recipients.
The Mr. George Gold Coin Award is given to associates who embrace the Publix culture and provide premier service the way Mr. George himself would have. Receiving a gold coin means you’ve made a real difference in the lives of others by going above and beyond. Associates can become eligible for a gold coin by receiving praise from customers and associates through customer care and social media, which reviews each submission based on established criteria and guidelines. To recommend an associate for consideration, email the story details to goldcoin@publix.com.
