Geppetto’s Log - Stardate 122120.1

You are only as good as your crew.

When we came aboard the Starship Geppetto’s we inherited a dedicated staff. They knew the food and service side of the restaurant inside and out. We had only ever been customers. A lifetime of experience in dining out had taught us what we liked in terms of cleanliness, food quality and service but we knew nothing about what it takes to run a restaurant. I can only imagine what they thought or what it must have felt like to see us coming. With faith as our guide we took the leap. Without mutual respect, a plethora of grace and a great deal of laughter we all might have killed each other early on. Like a family… we have grown together. We continue to learn from one another each and every day.

Marty and Eric, pictured here with Miss Oregon 2019, Shivali Kadam, are a couple of great sports. They have been through a lot as friends over the years and have held a great deal of responsibility here at the restaurant when it comes to our house made offerings. Marty, on the right, has about thirty years of Geppetto’s experience. He runs the pizza kitchen like a boss and can direct deliveries like no other because he knows the timing of our two kitchens well and Salem and Keizer like the back of his hand. Eric on the left has been with Geppetto’s for somewhere around thirteen years. He works both the line and pizza kitchen. He also, with the help of others, bears the majority of the weight when it comes to our house made sauces.

These two knuckleheads hold a special place in my heart. As 2020 would have it… they both happen to be having significant medical procedures on consecutive days this week. Our customers may have noticed some bumpy moments in the past few months as we trained new folks and filled gaps in absence. We are thankful to our customers for understanding as new staff members have come aboard and are working hard to learn our systems, processes and procedures. Thank you to those who have been patient when the curve is quite variable and sometimes steep.

I write this Geppetto’s Log today asking for good thoughts and prayers for Marty and Eric. COVID season is tough enough. Dealing with health issues in the midst of it just makes the weird more unbelievable. We pray for all who are suffering, especially now. We want Marty and Eric completely healed, healthy and strong, goofy as ever and back onboard as soon as possible.

We are but one family in this community. When one hurts… we all hurt. We advance in time and space… filled with hope and determination.