Charlie, The 4'10 Omelet Chef

Charlie is the sweetest and funniest, and also one of the hardest-working people I have ever met. She was also born and raised on the Big Island and has been working in the hotel since it opened in 1994. For thirty years, she has been behind the omelet bar, flipping omelets every morning at the breakfast buffet. A few years ago I learned that not only did she work from five the morning to eleven in the morning, but she then had an hour break before she went to her hostess job at another hotel. For five days a week, she was waking up at three in the morning, commuting an hour, and then working for twelve hours. She is incredible and inspiring. Some might say she is crazy for working that much, but she loves being around people and loves what she does. Not only is she a bubbly face for others to see, but she is always making sure everything is taken care of exactly how the customer wants it.

When I first met Charlie I believe I was about six years old and I went up to the station, not to get an omelet, but instead to get a fresh waffle from the waffle machine that she was also in charge of. My older brother Tanner was forever her favorite customer because he always wanted an omelet every morning, unlike me who does not like eggs and came straight for the waffles. My first memory of her, when I was little, was when I went up to the station and there was a whole pile of waffles but I was too short to reach them. She saw me struggling and instead told me to wait and she would make me a whole new fresh batch of waffles to bring back to my family. A minute later I was the happiest six-year-old on the island, as I strutted back to the table with four freshly made waffles to share with my family. Ever since that day, anytime she saw me coming, she knew to start making a fresh batch.

Recently when I went back with my golf team, right when we sat down, there were two plates of freshly made waffles sent to our table. My teammates were looking around wondering where the heck the waffles came from and I immediately knew she had sent them over. A few days later, she bought matching bracelets for my entire team because she knew how special they were to me and wanted them to feel loved just as she loved me. Although these are small gestures revolving around food, there is such a larger meaning to me. When I walk up there, she knows who I am, wants to know what is going on in my life and genuinely cares about me and my family. The way she lives her life is inspiring to me. She is so hard working and does everything with a big smile and a lot of laughter. I feel so grateful that she was put into my life and I hope that when I am her age, I am loving life and others the way she does.

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