What We're Thankful for This Year
What are you grateful for?
Melody Stokosa |
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I'm grateful for my family and friends, job, health, and getting to spend a low-key Thanksgiving at my house with my fiancé, puppy, and cat. |
Tanya Bates |
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Without a doubt, I am thankful for my family, my health, my workplace and to be able to help others who are not as fortunate as I am. |
Hannah Grove |
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Even in a COVID-19 world, I still have a lot to be grateful for, including my health and that of my family, a company like Ayers Basement Systems to work for, a new home to move into next year, and *hopefully* a 2020-postponed wedding in 2021! |
Brian Pointer |
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I am grateful that my family near and far are healthy and not physically affected by COVID-19. Sharing the gift of laughter in someone’s day, or giving an encouraging word when needed and helping others in need to make their life a little less stressful. |
Josh Kammeraad |
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First and foremost, my family. Family is everything to me both my biological and my Ayers family. |
Ty Azvedo |
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I'm grateful for a healthy family, especially this year. I'm grateful for the support of my wife this year (and all the other times too) especially while we were working from home and having two young kids to look after and keep occupied during Zoom calls. |
What's one of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?
Melody Stokosa |
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In a normal year, I go to my mom's house in Traverse City and we spend Thanksgiving night watching the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. I would highly recommend if you haven't seen it - Steve Martin and John Candy are awesome. |
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Tanya Bates |
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| Before we pray over the meal, everyone goes around the table and says what they are thankful for! What I enjoy the most is hearing all the kids; how they have grown each year and how their perspective on what they were thankful for last year, versus this year. It is so different as they learn and navigate through life and its many blessings. | |
Hannah Grove |
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I really enjoy cooking and baking, so naturally one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions centers around the meal. Each year, I help my mom cook a big Thanksgiving meal while we drink coffee and listen to Christmas music. |
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Brian Pointer |
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| Gathering with family and friends to share stories, catch up with distant family I do not see often and of course nothing goes better with good fellowship than mom’s cooking. | |
Josh Kammeraad |
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| Having my large extended family around the table enjoying Thanksgiving meal. Well and the pie, all the pie! | |
Ty Azvedo |
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Turkey is fine, but for me the Thanksgiving meal is all about the dishes that I only see one day a year. Homemade baked stuffing and Grandma's pumpkin pie. Of course all enjoyed while my dad goes to "check something in the kitchen" which is code for check the score of the Lions game. |
What will be different about your Thanksgiving this year?
Melody Stokosa |
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Normally we would have three families to visit between me and my fiance, but this year like I mentioned we are just staying home and FaceTiming over dinner. |
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Tanya Bates |
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| We did have to downsize to just immediate family. Normally we have about thirty people for dinner, but this year it will be ten. We must keep our loved ones safe and healthy. | |
Hannah Grove |
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This year, instead of hosting my extended family at our house, I will be helping my mom prep and prepare plates for us to deliver to family to eat at their own homes. Even if we can’t gather, our family can still have a “taste” of tradition. Hopefully we can also utilize Zoom or FaceTime to “see” one another. |
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Brian Pointer |
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| I would rather surrender a tradition to keep family and friend safe, so we can gather again next year to resume where we left off. | |
Josh Kammeraad |
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| With COVID this year we will not be having the family gathering we are so used too. But we will be thankful this year for past Thanksgivings together and look forward to future holidays where we can be together. | |
Ty Azvedo |
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My extended family will not be gathering around my parents' table, so instead we'll be making our own turkey day meal at home and sharing a side dish that we'll drop at each family/family members' doorstep to enjoy at their house. |
What at Ayers makes you thankful?
Melody Stokosa |
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I'm grateful to work for a company that is trying to become the best version of itself, which in turn makes me want to do the same. |
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Tanya Bates |
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| When I wake each day and am fortunate enough to have my feet hit the floor and I can go to my job that I am so thankful is still able to be open during COVID. I'm grateful to be able to help all of the customers who need us during these uncertain times. My co-workers and management team are the best, and to be able to REDEFINE each and every day makes me so thankful for such a great company! | |
Hannah Grove |
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I am thankful for every co-worker I have had the opportunity to work with in the last ten months working at Ayers. We truly have a great team and “second family”. I am thankful to be a part of #OneTeam! |
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Brian Pointer |
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| The employees and support. Some of the best people I have ever met were at Ayers. Everyone is very supportive and willing to assist if one needs help. When a place of work transitions from a job to extended family, that is rare in the workforce. | |
Josh Kammeraad |
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| I am thankful to work for a company which forces me to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Challenging me to move out of my comfort zone and grow not only as a manager or employee but in my home life as well. | |
Ty Azvedo |
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Ayers is a company that I've grown with over the last nine years and I feel incredibly lucky to have had many opportunities to learn and develop my personal and professional skills within a company that believes in me. Everyday working alongside other people who want to do the right thing for people even when it's tough is something I love about Ayers. I'm grateful for a place to work that from the leaders on down, wants to be different than your average contractor. |
