The DowntownDC BID’s Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees (SAMs) earned front row seats last week at the Warner Theatre (513 13th Street NW) for their employee of the month meeting where they learned about luminaries who performed at the historic theatre, the theatre’s “Walk of Fame,” what went into the $10 million renovation and more.
SAM Supervisor Michael Creed offered SAMs a collection of fun facts about the theatre, including that the theatre’s name was changed from the Earle Theatre to the Warner Theatre in 1947 after Warner Brothers founder Harry Warner (who owned the establishment), the Rolling Stones played a secret concert there in 1978, and the theatre was the scene of Frank Sinatra’s final D.C. performance before his death in 1998.
The theatre, which originally opened in 1924, today offers performances by famed recording artists, comedians, magicians and more. Later this month, the theatre will host seven-time Grammy Award winner Gladys Knight on October 25.
Trivia about the theatre was offered to SAMs last week to further serve their daily encounters with residents, workers and visitors to Downtown. SAMs work 362 days a year as the eyes and ears of Downtown and to keep the streets of the BID clean and safe.
Maintenance Services Manager Ronald Jones last week stressed that SAMs will be working to get a jump on fall, relying on employee reports to help the BID roll out leaf blowers, rakes and other equipment to aid cleanup efforts this season.
SAMs encounter thousands of people in Downtown each week. Often, they leave lasting positive impressions that prompt those involved to reach out to the BID to commend the SAMs’ service. At last week’s meeting, BID Director of Operations Everett Scruggs said that many attendees at a recent community discussion related to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (901 G Street NW) voiced their appreciation for the presence of three SAMs on-site. (SAMs are currently developing a program to increase their presence in the area surrounding the library.)
Scruggs commended the “signature stamp” SAMs overall provide for Downtown. “I couldn’t be more proud,” he said of the SAMs’ efforts. Scruggs also read a recent letter from Portland, Ore. visitors who were recently assisted by Safety/Hospitality SAM Linda Jeter in Chinatown.
[Read additional SAM Letters of Appreciation here.]
Stephanie Retelle, the Warner Theatre’s director of sales, at last week’s meeting shared her own personal story of a seminal encounter with the SAMs. Five years ago, when Retelle moved to the D.C. area, she said she emerged from the Archives Metrorail station and was greeted by SAMs. She said she appreciated the SAMs’ calming presence and their attention and the memory has stuck with her for the past five years.
At each employee of the month meeting, two SAMs are recognized for their outstanding service. September’s SAM-of the-Month winners were: Safety/Hospitality SAM Robert Toney and Maintenance SAM Robinson Reyes Acevedo.
Robert Toney is a veteran SAM, having served as a Safety/Hospitality team member for 13 years. The D.C. native and current D.C. resident is a former security screener at Reagan National Airport. He said his skill as a communicator benefits him in his current position. “I like to talk to people,” Toney said, adding that he “enjoys assisting people on a daily basis.” He said he is known by his coworkers for being “always kind.” Toney, who is married, has been awarded the SAM-of-the-Month designation twice previously and was named SAM-of-the-Year in 2011.
Robinson Reyes Acevedo has worked as a SAM since 2009 and is a multiple time winner of the SAM-of-the-Month designation, including in October 2013. Reyes Acevedo said he was introduced to the SAM program by his uncle, who worked as a SAM. Reyes Acevedo said he most enjoys “the people” he meets each day and he continues to find that being commended for his work keeps him motivated. Reyes Acevedo, who is originally from the Dominican Republic, has lived in D.C. for the past 11 years. He is working on his GED and enjoys free time with his wife and his daughters, who are 4 1/2 years old and 3 months old.