The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees (SAMs) discussed summer weather and short sleeves, among other topics, at their employee of the month meeting May 7 hosted by the Asbury United Methodist Church (11th and K streets).
Memorial Day, May 25, marks the start of the summer season for the 90 SAMs employed by the BID and it means the beginning of summer uniform season: shorts and short sleeve shirt uniforms for the men and women of the SAM team, who help keep Downtown clean and safe.
SAMs carry out a multitude of duties for Downtown 362 days a year, including acting as on-the-street concierges and maintaining and beautifying public spaces. From safety assistance to hospitality, trash removal and power washing, SAMs are the heart of the DowntownDC BID’s mission to make Downtown a remarkable urban experience for all.
Last year, the BID was proud to hire a new SAM class of 12 Safety/Hospitality SAMs to help the team continue to provide a high-level of service Downtown. This new team was once again introduced at the May meeting at Asbury United Methodist Church.
The original church of Asbury United Methodist Church, Asbury Chapel, was founded in 1836 on the exact same site on which today’s church stands today. At the time of its founding nearly 180 years ago, the church existed as a small, white frame structure. Since then, the church has played many historical roles in American society, including serving as a refuge for the Underground Railroad. The church is on D.C.’s register of historic places.
In this historic setting during May’s meeting, BID Program and Experience Planner Ebony Walton offered an inspiring recitation of Langston Hughes’ poem, “Mother to Son.” Walton also thanked SAMs for their assistance in facilitating Friday Picnics in the Park, a free event series in Franklin Park that began May 8.
Director of Operations Everett D. E. Scruggs thanked the SAMs for their service, including the new SAM class, and the church for its hospitality. He also shared with the SAMs several letters of appreciation about the team, including commendations for SAM Jeremiah DeSousa, who had recently helped Downtown visitor Shirley Nelson and her elderly father safely and conveniently navigate Downtown.
“Thank you very much for the service you provide,” Nelson wrote. “I think it must give foreign visitors a good feeling about our nation and its capital.”
[Read more SAM Appreciation letters here.]
As is customary at each SAM employee-of-the-month meeting, two SAMs are awarded “SAMs of the Month.” April winners were announced May 7 and presented with award certificates from Rev. Ianther Mills. The winners were: Safety/Hospitality SAM Roy Johnson and Maintenance SAM Charles Stroud.
Roy Johnson is a multi-time winner of SAM of the Month and was named the 2011 SAM of the Year. He has worked for the BID for over 6 years and says he appreciates being able to experience a new location Downtown each day. “I like busy areas and interacting with people,” he said. Johnson said he enjoys the awards. “They let you know that you are being noticed,” he said. Johnson, a D.C. resident who will turn 59 years old in June, enjoys watching television during his time off. He has four grown children and nine grandchildren with whom he enjoys spending time.
Charles Stroud has won SAM of the Month multiple times throughout his four-year career with the BID. Monthly winners are eligible to win SAM of the Year, and Stroud said he hopes 2015 is his year. He said he really enjoys the “individual recognition” the awards bring SAMs on top of the commendations the entire SAM team often receives from the public and their supervisors. Stroud said he continues to enjoy “people and the exercise” he experiences on the job. This D.C. resident enjoys playing the bass in his time outside of work and is proud to share that his son, Los, is about to turn 18 years old.