Tamara Afraid of Lightening is a crew member for the East North Street Taco Bell in Rapid City, SD, coined the “Little Taco Bell on the Prairie.” This is her second time being employed at a Border Foods Taco Bell. She was with us at age 16, took a break, and came back once she started college.
“I wanted more,” she says of her brief departure from the restaurant scene. “As a teenager, I wanted to experience something different, experience other things.”
Today this ambitious, upbeat gal is a nursing student. She’s also a single working mother with a three-year-old son. At Border Foods, she’s not only found great support and flexibility, but she also has a boss she adores in RGM Barb Bunney.
“Everyone is very supportive from high up down to the store.” -Tamara Afraid of Lightening
Scheduling for Success
“I’m thankful for Taco Bell just working with my school schedule and supporting me through the whole process,” she says of balancing her work-school-mom life.
“The schedule is never an issue,” she continues. “The pay is good, too!”
Tamara has a full schedule — she usually works 8 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday, attends classes a couple of days a week, and still manages to enjoy weekends with her son.
So what brought her back to Taco Bell? She says it “just felt right” — it is a familiar place where she feels understood and listened to.
“We are our own little family … we know each other inside and out.” -Tamara Afraid of Lightening
Family Values
Because at Border Foods, we ARE family. In fact, cultivating a culture of family is one of our core values.
“We spend like five days a week together, so we know each other inside and out,” Tamara says. “And we support each other, whether it’s inside the job or outside the job. We’re always there for each other.”
Tamara will continue working for Taco Bell while she finishes up her degree. She celebrates her one-year service anniversary in August. Looking to find a career that offers work-life balance? Find a flexible job that fits your schedule!
