Two Red Cross Elementary staff members recognized for their hard work

By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1

As the sun rose over the frost covered hills and the numerous cars and buses dropped off Red Cross Elementary students for their day of learning, Barren County Judge-Executive, and founder of Helping the Hardworking, Jamie Bewley Byrd surprised two staff members for their constant hard work and positive attitudes.

Helping the Hardworking, established in 2020, is a “non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing hard-working individuals” who are often overlooked in communities throughout Barren County.

“We believe that everyone deserves to be appreciated for the hard work they put in, and our goal is to recognize and reward such individuals,” the organization’s website states. “Our unique approach involves community members nominating their peers who they believe are worthy of recognition.”

At 7:30 a.m., as the children were gathered in the gymnasium listening to teachers and staff sing Christmas songs, Byrd announced that Tammie Underwood, the receptionist at the school for roughly 29 years, and Emily Dugard, food service staff member and self-proclaimed “chaos coordinator,” were the recipients of $200 worth of gift cards from various local businesses like Little Taste of Texas, Off the Square and Fine Arts Bistro.

Underwood, who said she was “overwhelmed” and “totally surprised” by the award, works as the receptionist in the front office of Red Cross Elementary, runs a jewelry business — which is called Jewell’ry after her mother — and donates her time sitting with the elderly at NHC Healthcare.

According to the words read at her recognition she is a “smiling face” to everyone who comes into the office. Underwood said she tries to be a positive force all the time but especially during the holiday season.

“Holidays are hard for a lot of people and [the children] help me through each day and I try to pay that back to them by being positive, by finding the positive in a hard situation,” Underwood said.

Amy Shipley, librarian and media specialist at the school, nominated Underwood for her exemplification and model of a hard working individual.

“I nominated her because it’s called Helping the Hard Working and she is the essence of a hardworking individual,” Shipley said. “I thought who better to recognize at a time when they’re trying to make it a bit easier for someone who’s already hardworking. She instantly came to my mind. She works hard all the time.”

Dugard said the school’s atmosphere makes it easy to come to work each day.

“I feel like I got rewarded for having fun here,” she said. “I feel so blessed to even be working here.”

“I’ll be the first to tell you I like being the center of attention except for things like that. You need me to dance funny, I’m all about it. You start telling me things about myself, I want to hide, but it was amazing to feel appreciated and they make it so easy here,” she added.

Dugard said she is likewise “overwhelmed” by the recognition.

“I didn’t expect this so, of course, the water works come out,” she said.

Principal Josh Maples said he nominated Dugard for her positive attitude and work ethic.

“Emily goes above and beyond what her job responsibilities are everyday,” Maples said. “There are a lot of nights I’m leaving and she’s gone home and come back to do things for the kids; to get ready for the next school day.”

Maples said both Underwood and Dugard bring a hard-working and positive attitude to their jobs, which creates a positive atmosphere throughout the school.

“When I started here at Red Cross I wanted this to be a place where kids wanted to be here and teachers wanted to teach here, and they help us carry out that vision,” Maples said. “Our teachers are smiling, our kids are smiling…and Tammie and Emily do that everyday, and that makes all the difference.”