Faith in Action—Parishioners on New Hy-Vee Trucks, July 20, 2026

Tune into Faith in Action at 9 a.m., Monday, July 20, on Channel 88.1 FM, Siouxland Catholic Radio. Host Joanne Fox talks with two local parishioners who are featured on new Hy-Vee trucks.

This program replays at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 25.

Faith in Action is brought to you by Mary's Choice, a Sioux City Pregnancy Resource Center. Previous Faith in Action programs can be found at siouxlandcatholicradio.com, on YouTube, and on several other podcasting platforms. Programming is subject to change.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:01

Hello, listeners of Siouxland Catholic Radio Channel 88.1 FM, KFH C Pankasu City, and K O I A Storm Lake. Thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune into Faith in Action. And maybe it's 9 a.m. on a Monday, or maybe it's 7 p.m. on a Saturday, or maybe you went to our website, Siouxland CatholicRadio.com, clicked on Faith in Action, and you're listening at your convenience. Any way you do it, we are again so pleased that you support us. And then we are also on a number of podcasting platforms. That's all due to the generosity of Mary's Choice, a Sioux City Pregnancy Resource Center, which is the exclusive underwriter for this station and my show. So, listeners, um maybe if you're driving around and you see the high V trucks and they have people kind of uh on the side of them, and that that kind of is an honor that they choose people for the trucks. And we actually have two individuals um who are parishioners of our churches here in Northwest Iowa who are uh well, they're on the trucks, and it is so cool, and I am so grateful that they are taking time out of their busy schedules to chat with me. So, first on the phone with me is Shannon Groper. She is the floral department manager at High V in Lamar's, and the reason that she's on the truck is these folks that you see are honored for outstanding customer service. So, Shannon, thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to chat with me. I am really grateful.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

No problem, and thanks for the invite.

SPEAKER_02 1:50

You bet. Well, let's start out, Shannon. Why don't you tell the listeners just a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_01 1:56

I uh was born and raised in Remsen. I went to school at Remsen, St. Mary's, graduated from school there. I um then went to Sioux City to win for a little while, and then it did not work out for me. So then I ended up coming back to Remsen and worked at the local sh flower shop there in Remsen for a few years before I came to High V. I've been at High V for 14 years now in the floral department. I have a son um that also went to school at Remsen St. Mary's and graduated, and he is currently at in Des Moines um doing heavy equipment.

SPEAKER_02 2:31

Oh, and of course, listeners know from following my show that I taught for 15 years at Western Iowa Tech Community College in the English department. Oh wow. And yeah, it was it was a great time. I still enjoy running into students and seeing, you know, what they've accomplished. It's it's really great. So I'm glad you mentioned that. So how did this come about? I mean, did they pick up the phone and say, hey, we think you're a great customer service lady, or did did somebody um nominate you?

SPEAKER_01 3:04

They actually I have people can get nominated, and the community all from around the world um sent in lenders to our corporation. Um I think there was 150 some people that said that I was a great candidate for the customer service award.

SPEAKER_02 3:19

Wow. Okay, so then did you know this was happening?

SPEAKER_01 3:24

No, it was a great big surprise. So they had me actually step out of the building and go to um a meeting here in town at the um like the Lamar Chamber. And when I returned back to work, um the parking lot was full of people. And I said forgetting that I was I said, I wonder what's going on then. The parking lot's full. And as we get closer to the building, I had noticed there was a red carpet outside, and all of my pictures were in the window. And I said to her, What is going on? And she said, I said, Why are all my pictures in the window? And when we came into the building, I had all of my family here and a bunch of corporate people and other co-workers here to surprise me with this legendary customer service award.

SPEAKER_02 4:14

I and how long ago was this that this happened? Because I remember it was last fall. Last fall. Okay. And was was the truck on site then?

SPEAKER_01 4:25

No. So the truck actually just came, I think it's been like two weeks now. The truck just got done. So then they bought the truck to Lamar's here so that I could see it before it actually goes out on the road.

SPEAKER_02 4:36

Okay, and were how pleased were you with the picture that they have of you?

SPEAKER_01 4:41

Very well pleased. They it was a great picture. We actually had um we after I was given the award, we were able to go to Des Moines, excuse me, for a celebration, and all of my family was able to come. And that's where we um did the professional pictures.

SPEAKER_02 4:58

Okay. Because you you look great on the side of the truck. You really do so. And of course, we all want when our when we have a picture taken to look younger, thinner, uh, you know, more glamorous, all that good stuff. But it's really that's right. It is a lovely photo of you. So I appreciate that. When they when they talked about your customer service, maybe share with the listeners what is it that you do that it you know was worthy of this honor. What is your approach to customer service?

SPEAKER_01 5:30

Um, well, in our department here, um we we do everything. I mean, we um from babies to being born to weddings to funeral work, um, we are there for each patient, or I should say each customer, um, for their needs. Whether it's a joyous need or, you know, a sad time, we're there for them.

SPEAKER_02 5:55

Yeah, and I that is so interesting because you are really, maybe more than any other department, there at what I would call life-changing moments. You mentioned them. Birth of a child, um, death of a loved one, um just uh the celebration of an event, uh, graduation, um a promotion, a retirement. You guys are there for all those events. What do you think? What is it about creating flowers for events like that that resonates with you?

SPEAKER_01 6:32

Um, I would just say every day yeah, you caught me. Um every day is a different day. I mean uh we just kind of know what to put together for each customer as their needs.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 6:48

And especially I think would be challenging is um funerals and um wake services, things like Believe it or not, that would probably be one of our easier ones versus a wedding.

SPEAKER_02 7:02

Oh yeah, listeners, you all know there's much drama that goes on at a wedding. So I imagine that is a little more where you gotta juggle the balls a little more. So then I imagine you probably m put forth what I would call dip diplomacy and tact in dealing with individuals who maybe are stressed, because I you you got the gamut, you got the stressed, you got the grieved, and you got the happy.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

You got that. We get it all in this department.

SPEAKER_02 7:34

Yep. So what kind of things do you bring from your faith into this kind of customer service aspect, would you say?

SPEAKER_01 7:44

Um, my faith teaches me that the greatest things we can do is to serve others. And that we do in this department.

SPEAKER_02 7:51

Oh my goodness, yeah, probably more than any other department because like I said, you're there at life-changing moments. So now that uh the trucks are out on the road, listeners, and you can look for Shannon, and I I will post a picture of Shannon when um we promote the show. Do you get recognized?

SPEAKER_01 8:12

Yes. No matter where you go, you get recognized. Um I was a matter of fact in Sioux City here last week, and I had a lady holler at me, hey aren't aren't you the high V lady that's on a truck? So it's amazing the people that recognize you.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

And that must be a little humbling. I mean because very and honored, very honored. Very honored. And your co-workers, what do they have to say about all of this?

SPEAKER_01 8:37

I have got a great team. It's only three of us in this department, and we all work together greatly.

SPEAKER_02 8:42

Okay. Does it allow you to walk into a restaurant and get a better table then? Because you're you're somewhat famous?

SPEAKER_01 8:51

I don't think so. I'm still a shaman. I'm still the same old person. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 8:58

Did uh what else came with this this honor? Did you get like a certificate or a plaque or I did.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

I received a plaque. I also received a high B ring, and also I get a trip. We w we with this award we get a trip. And I have not taken the trip yet.

SPEAKER_02 9:16

Wha what kind of trip? I mean like a plane trip or a Yep, yep, a plane trip.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

I'm gonna work with the travel agency and um I think I can go just about anywhere I choose.

SPEAKER_02 9:27

Wow. So uh you could like go like to Rome and see Pope Leo or uh I probably could. Oh my goodness gracious. Oh my heart my heart is beating. That would be so cool. But again, you're gonna you gotta kind of figure out, you know, where it is you want to go and when you wanna go. Correct. Is there a time frame where you must take the trip like within a year or two years?

SPEAKER_01 9:49

Or nobody has said anything to me yet about that, so not that I know of.

SPEAKER_02 9:54

Okay. Have you nominated anyone for uh the customer service award?

SPEAKER_01 9:59

So they I have not uh nominated anybody yet at this time.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Okay, well it's something to think about.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

Definitely will, yes.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

So what's the best part about being associated with uh the high V floral department in Lamar's?

SPEAKER_01 10:15

Um, all the people are very appreciative and all the recognition that you get from the customers.

SPEAKER_02 10:21

And I imagine when you're out, um, say uh you have to do um a wake service or a funeral and you are going to go to the wake service or the funeral, I bet you recognize the flowers.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

Oh yes, that you do.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

Yes. And that must make you smile. Because I'm thinking, you know, every time I go to a wake or a funeral and I see the flowers, it just i I don't know, it it kind of brings me solace, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

It does, yes. Because if you think about it, if you go to a funeral and there's no flowers there, it's just kind of a sad situation. Flowers just bring a little bit of life.

SPEAKER_02 10:56

Yeah, that's the truth.

SPEAKER_01 10:57

A little bit of brightness for a terrible time.

SPEAKER_02 11:00

Uh yeah, it is well, and it's a sad time and and very sad. Flowers remind us that there's new growth, you know, just like our faith believes that you know this what we're experiencing right now is not the end. It's that there's something beyond this. And then I I imagine you got the equal joy if you go to a wedding and there you recognize the flowers as well.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

Yes, and the the feedback that we get from after the funerals or after the wedding is always a good feedback to get.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

Well, Shannon, what's the best part of having this honor? I mean, I I kinda understand how humbling it might be, but there there should be some best parts associated with it as well.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Everything, actually, it's very honoring to receive this. Everything from the first day that it happened till I mean it's still every day, it's awesome. What a whirlwind. Yes, that that you said it right, yes, very much so.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

Well, it would have to be. Well, I'm not gonna keep you again. I am so grateful that you're taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. Um really appreciate it. So, listeners, that uh thank you, Shannon Groper, Florida Floral Department Manager at Hive and Lamar's, who is pictured on Hive trucks. Keep an eye out for her. She's the one that looks uh very young and very um attractive. She has the glasses and the shorter hair. And I'm in the middle. And she's in the middle. That's a good place to be too. There you go. The reason she's on there, honored for her outstanding customer service, and um yeah, I am so tickled that that we were able to chat. And so thank you so much, Shannon. Um Thank you. You bet. Great honor to speak to you. You too. And now, listeners, we're gonna take a short break and we're gonna switch out the microphones, because I did say at the top that Al Metz is going to be um in the studio and he's gonna talk about when he was on the truck, and that was a little while ago, but still relevant. So, listeners, just stay tuned. If if you are just tuning in right now, this show is Faith in Action. I'm your host, Joanne Fox. So just stay with us while we uh switch out the microphones. Well, listeners, I'm glad you stayed with us. Um, this is such a great show. We're having so much fun. Uh thank you so much, Shannon Groper, uh Floral Department Manager at Hive and Lamar's for sharing your story about getting your picture on all the Hive trucks for your outstanding customer service. And now in the studio with me is my longtime buddy Al Metz, who also had his picture on the truck. So thank you, Al, for taking time out of your busy schedule to join me and and tell the listeners a little bit about yourself.

SPEAKER_00 13:56

Thank you for having me. Uh of course, my name is Al Metz. I'm a longtime uh Hive employee, uh 47 years. Um I grew up in Worthington, Minnesota, and uh went to high school and community college up there, wanted to go into social work and uh did that for a little while, then joined Hive as an opportunity, continued on and uh relocated myself a few times, ended up here in uh Sioux City, which I call home now. And um geez, all of a sudden one day uh I had this uh something happen at our store that I had no idea was happening, and people were coming in and different people were coming in. I wanted to do things, but my staff wouldn't let me do anything, and the next thing you know, they're having reasons to relocate me away from my department. And there it was, that was the the moment that broke. Um I had been selected a legendary customer service award winner, had no idea that was happening. Um the cool part about that was one, I had no idea. Um my mother was able to come from Worthington, my family from Yankton and from North Dakota and Illinois, they were able to come, keep it all a secret. Also, my wife kept it a secret. She had a heads up of two days to know this whole thing was happening. I had no idea. I couldn't understand why I was chosen to be a legendary customer service award winner. I just didn't have that thought in my mind. My whole deal, my whole career was to take care of my customer. I always considered um my most important customer was my last customer. So whoever I took care of last, um, and that was my most important customer, not that everybody else wasn't important, but I couldn't understand why all these people were coming to celebrate something I just did naturally.

SPEAKER_02 15:55

Um Well, your story almost parallels Shannon's because they act they took her away from the hive and Lamar's elsewhere. And then she came back and she she looked at the person she was with and her picture was like in all the windows. And she said, Why is my picture in all the windows? And the person she was with went, I don't know. Well, you know she knew.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

Yeah, I had no idea what was going on. I kept thinking, Why aren't these different people here? And they had they had done a really good job of of hiding my family at the store, keeping things quiet. Um, except myself. I had no idea what was going on. I just wanted to go about a normal day, take care of my customers, do my thing. Next thing you know, I have people stepping out, congratulating me on being a legendary customer service award winner, which, like I said, I thought that was just what you normally do on a normal day-to-day basis. Take care of my customer, let them feel like they're the most important customer I ever had, and then go take care of the next one. Always remember my customers are what got me where I am today, where I was then, where I am today, um along with uh riding horseback, so to speak, with my faith. Um I couldn't do without that.

SPEAKER_02 17:14

Yeah, and Shannon kind of said the same thing. Um now Shannon's a floral department manager, but you, of course, I know this listeners, uh Kitchen Manager. Or is it did you have another title?

SPEAKER_00 17:25

I I was kitchen manager um all right pretty much my whole career. Um they changed my titles a couple times. I never got excited about titles. I just said no matter what, whether I was the dishwasher or the kitchen manager, I was responsible to make things happen and take care of people. Um I I looked at it as just another opportunity. Most people would not believe growing up in a Catholic grade school. I was the quietest, most shy person you ever did know. You couldn't have got seven words out of me. Now you can try to shut me up. Um but it was all a good thing. I never I never had a thought that um we can't we can't take care of a customer. Sometimes I had to I call fake it, um, not let a customer know that I wasn't sure until until I got everything under control and then said, let's take care of the customer no matter what it takes.

SPEAKER_02 18:22

That's true. And um, of course, Shannon as the floral manager, she is there for what I would call a lot of life-changing moments. Um a funeral, gotta have flowers. Uh wedding, gotta have flowers. Oh, new baby, flowers, retirement, b you know, flowers. But you as kitchen manager, and we take it very seriously in our Catholic faith, breaking bread and camaraderie. So you are there at moments for a funeral where you're bringing in the catered food, maybe, or a wedding, catered food, graduation, retirement, catered food. And those again, life-changing moments. And uh, you know, like I said, breaking bread, that's a big part of our Catholic faith.

SPEAKER_00 19:06

We all love food, and that's the cool. Uh breaking bread is very important. And I can say one of my most gratifying days in my history was actually when I had the opportunity to cater a funeral, which everybody says that's not an opportunity, but I took care of a customer. And I did a wedding that day. I catered a graduation that day and a baptism. And the cool part of that whole thing was the baptism, I kept in contact with the family, and the next thing you know, I did their first grade, I did sixth grade, I did eighth grade. I was uh lucky enough to cater their high school graduation. Wow. Um so I was able to connect with the whole uh family on everything that was going on. My my important part of taking care of my customer is would they call me back? Just would they call me back? Um a lot of people didn't catch at the time when I was working eighty or ninety hours a week that I would take my name tag off when I went out to a catering. And that was so that they would ask who I was, ask where I was from, so they wouldn't just see a name tag and and assume I knew something. Um plus I didn't want them to really know I was a manager, I was just one of the people that take care of them. So that was the cool part.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

And we haven't mentioned the fact that this took place in 2015. Shannon's is this year, but yours was 2015. And you alluded that people still remember.

SPEAKER_00 20:36

Absolutely. And and I still have people call me to this day. Um I probably receive approximately three to five phone calls per week uh with somebody that has a question about either a family get-together, a family funeral, a wedding, something going on. Um I j I just take them as a normal phone call. Um, I never said no. A lot of people would probably say, Al, have you ever said no? Not in my category. Never say no. Um my customers took care of me um by returning my phone calls. I take care of them by returning their phone calls. So that was the cool part. When I moved to Sioux City, knowing nobody, I decided I had to take care of everybody. So I started catering, and one of the places I started catering was churches. Now you gotta keep in mind 30, 35 years ago, most churches didn't have a lot of catering. You definitely didn't cater a funeral unless something crazy went on. Now I I cater funerals. I still cater funerals, and you do weddings and baptisms and graduations and everything. Churches originally, all the church ladies took care of everything. Of course, we know what happened there. Um those ladies just got older and the work got heavier. Um so they called me and I just took care of it. No matter if it's two days or one day or two weeks, I took care of it. That was the cool part. I connected with a lot of different churches and connected with a lot of different people and made things happen.

SPEAKER_02 22:12

And that's what you gotta do. Now, you I have to chuckle because you said you're still getting phone calls. If I recall, you have retired from the kitchen manager.

SPEAKER_00 22:29

I'm gonna keep going. I'm gonna keep take taking care of everybody until I can't take care of them. I think uh we all like uh a positive uh vibe from somebody. We also like answers and we like to be just taken care of. Under promise, overdeliver. Another one of my sayings. Underpromise, overdeliver. Take care of people. Let's not offer the full flower bed of roses if we only know we're gonna get tulips. But let's take care of them. And that's that's kind of how my whole career was. Underpromise, overdeliver, take care of everybody.

SPEAKER_02 23:07

Yeah, and that's kind of you know part of our our faith as well. You know, and Jesus directed us to uh take care of those less fortunate or those in need, I should say those in need.

SPEAKER_00 23:18

Correct. And I was I was lucky enough, I gotta say, I'm I'm kind of proud of one thing. Um I I catered many years ago, for some they can remember. Nineteen years ago, Father Shane Demon was ordained a priest. And I had the opportunity to cater his ordination event, about 450 people. One of the bigger events I did in Sioux City at the time, and I was just like, oh my gosh, how am I going to take care of this? Don't let anybody know I'm nervous, just take care of it. I've had that opportunity to cater every ordination since. Very proud of that, but don't take it for granted. Just make sure that I take care of each one as individual and as loving as the first one.

SPEAKER_02 24:00

Yeah, and I think uh you kind of are also echoing what Shannon said, and that is, you know, that customer service aspect of connecting with somebody and making sure that what you're doing for them is important because it is. It's a moment for them. It's your job, but it's a moment for them that they are in need of something.

SPEAKER_00 24:23

Absolutely, and the a key thing was to not make it seem like a job when I was taking care of them. Uh I remember the year that I was uh nominated and selected for this award, I had a customer that um I did not know at all and came in on a Thanksgiving and needed something for a neighbor that had cancer, and all they wanted was turkey. And I found this out later on after the fact, but uh I took care of the customer that came in, not knowing that she was going to give this meal to her neighbor. And when she came in, she asked if she could get some things, and I said, sure, it'll take me like two minutes to get this ready. I prepared this meal for her in about two minutes' time, and uh sent it home with her, and then later on found out that was one of the deciding factors of me getting this award. Um, but I also said at the same time, God told me to get this meal ready. I didn't know this was gonna happen. I had no idea, but take care of this customer and let them do whatever they want. I did not know they were gonna just give it away. Um but it still said to me, God's guiding me, take care of another customer, do what we're supposed to do.

SPEAKER_02 25:33

Okay, so when you go to events that perhaps you haven't catered, but something else somebody else has catered, are you evaluating uh what you're looking at?

SPEAKER_00 25:46

I have learned in my in my career. Originally I would evaluate. Now, today I just say enjoy what you have, don't overcritique it because we all think we're better at something. Just don't over-critique it. Everybody gives their best effort and not to say, oh, I could do this better or this could be better. Now, if I went out the door and I said something to my wife, I might say something to but I would never critique somebody on an event, during an event, because I know that staff and everything else is really challenging. And the food service is a whole different world because we we all know how we can critique it, but we all love to eat.

SPEAKER_01 26:25

Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_00 26:26

So let's not critique too much because we still continue to go out for dinner and buy our quick meals. So I learned just don't critique it, just enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02 26:37

Absolutely. Well, I can't thank Shannon Groper, floral department manager at Hive and Lamar's and Al Mets, kind of retired, uh, kitchen manager at the Sioux City High V, both of them pictured on High V trucks, honored for outstanding customer service, and it was it's just a treat to have you both on the show telling our listeners about this, you know, and we we are with you applauding you and Shannon all the way.

SPEAKER_00 27:07

Well, it's it's been great to be here, and I I will continue to in until my last breath to take care of customers. Uh take care of my neighbor, take care of whoever I can. In my retirement years, I still take care of people and I'll continue to take care of people no matter what it is.

SPEAKER_02 27:21

Great to know. So, listeners, that kind of wraps up another edition of Faith in Action. I want to remind you, we have great local shows on KFHC K O I A, Channel 88.1 FM. We have the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day at 3 p.m. Modern Day Mass is uh celebrated Sundays at 9 a.m. Life Plan, which airs out of Omaha, Sundays at 8 p.m. Uh Catholic Ministry Professionals with John and Ty, Tuesdays at 4 p.m. Draw Near with Fred and Kara, Wednesdays at 4 p.m., Father Knows Best with Father Mark Stoll, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. My show typically 9 a.m. on a Monday, 7 p.m. on a uh Saturday, but you can always go to the website SiouxlandCatholicRadio.com, click on any of the shows, and listen at your convenience. My show is also on Spotify and a number of other podcasting platforms. That's all due to the generosity of Mary's Choice, a Sioux City Pregnancy Resource Center, which is the exclusive underwriter for this show. So I'm the host of this show, Joanne Joanne Fox, and on behalf of myself and my executive producer Ann Reid, I want to remind you a faithful reaction is always good, but faith in action, it's so much better. Thanks for listening and God bless.