The shift between seasons brings a lot of changes. Soon, we will be trading shorts and T-shirts for sweaters and jeans. As the great John Maxwell states, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” Whether we are talking about seasons or ourselves, change is good. Let’s discuss some positive changes that can help you focus on yourself this fall season and beyond.

Embrace the Outdoors: Take a scenic walk in a nearby park or nature trail to enjoy the fall foliage, take a weekend hike to get exericise and clear your mind. To help make this even more enjoyable, borrow a dog if you don’t own one!

Boost Your Immune System: Add oranges, grapefruits, or lemons to your diet for a Vitamin C boost, eat more garlic and leafy greens, and of course – STAY HYDRATED! Drink plenty of water and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Stay on Track with Your Health: It’s okay to indulge occasionally, but make sure to return to healthy eating habits, exercise regularly, and enjoy the process! 

Take Care of YOU: Practice self-care: Journaling, crafting, or learning a new hobby can be therapeutic. Stay engaged with a club, community events or online groups that share your interests and keep you mentally stimulated. 

This fall we want to put you up for a challenge. For the next few months, focus on incorporating one new wellness habit into your daily routine. Keep track of your progress and celebrate small victories along the way. You can send those pictures & successes to Lindsay or I with a hashtag #fallwellnesschallenge. We will share your great ideas on our social channels & in our next newsletter!  

I’m excited to see the positive changes everyone will make this fall! If you have any questions or need more ideas, feel free to reach out. 

Get out and slay the day- you are WORTH IT!

 

Cindy Frantz

Cindy Frantz

Recruitment/Community Relations

WHAT’S NEW AT SFM! 

Brand New Store: Sidney!

Our Sidney store just got a complete remodel & had a Grand Re-Opening! 

NEW! Orientation

Our new Orientation is coming to Kentucky soon! We are getting the team trained to execute this perfectly in the next few weeks. If you have any questions, reach out to Jo or Lindsay! 

New 24 Hour Stores!

Morehead has extended their Drive Thru only to 24 hours and Pilot’s lobby is now open 24 hours for guests! 

Jo, our People Experience Coordinator tells us about her favorite family traditions & what family means to her. 

You’ve done a lot of traveling this year, can you tell us where you’ve been and which trip you enjoyed the most?

I have been to Michigan, Alaska and New York on vacations. Alaska was by far my favorite!! I have always wanted to go and it was as incredible as I had imagined. It was a bucket list goal. I am going to Colorado in October for my nephews wedding and Vegas in November.

What are some of your favorite family traditions?

Every year for more than 30 years, my 5 sisters and I have traveled somewhere for a weekend together! These trips are very special to all of us and we all treasure the memories. I started my own project this year by visiting my nieces and nephews. With a family as large as mine, I have many nieces and nephews that are very close in age to me. This started because I was feeling sad that I did not get to see them very often, if ever. A very dear friend told me to do something about and stop whining about it!  So in January I got started planning visits with them, at least 2 at a time.  I have 29 total people to visit, 7 live out of state.  One of my great nieces asked when I was going to start visiting the greats, as of today there are 59 of them!! 

Tell us a little bit about your family and what family means to you.

 

My mother died from cancer when I was 10 years old, 1978.  This of course was a life changing event for me and all my brothers and sisters. I am the youngest of 14 kids, we lost one brother when he was 4 to a farming accident. I was not born yet. My dad died in 2010 from cancer, it was a big loss to my family as we felt like we had no leader now. What we found out was we didn’t really need one because we were dedicated to spending time together as a family. Unfortunately, we lost my brother David in May this year, none of us were ready for that. We have also lost 2 sisters-in-law in the past 10 years, they were like sisters as both had been a part of our family for over 40 years. I don’t mean to dwell on death, but all this has brought my family closer and closer. For as long as I can remember if one of us needed someone, all of us would show up. We function as one! We are like any siblings, we sometimes bicker and disagree. BUT we always hug each other when we part ways!

Beth Garber - Supervisor

When you hear the word meditation, I bet your mind automatically pictures someone sitting cross-legged on the floor with their eyes closed and hands perched on their knees with their fingertips touching. And you’re thinking, “I don’t have time for that.” Plus, does it even work? How will this benefit me? And how do I even begin?

Meditation is the habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. There are many health benefits to it, and it is gaining popularity as people are discovering theses benefits. And best of all, you can do it anywhere. So, when you get through a busy rush at work and your stress levels are at an all time high, or you have to deal with an angry customer in the Drive Thru, take a moment to stop and meditate. You’ll be surprised at how much better you’ll feel. 

So, what are some of the benefits of meditation? First and foremost, it reduces stress. It can also control and reduce anxiety and help those who have generalized anxiety disorder cope better when dealing with high stress situations. Meditation can lengthen your attention span and help with accuracy when completing a task. Improvements in attention and clarity of thinking may help keep your mind young. There are studies that show that people with age-related memory loss have shown improved performace of the mind when they practice meditation. 

Some other benefits of meditation are that it can generate kindless by increasing positive feelings and actions towards yourself and others. It can improve your sleep by helping you control or redirect the racing or runaway thought that often lead to insomnia. It helps to decrease blood pressure, controls cronic pain, and can help curb depression. Overall, there are so many benefits to meditation, and it’s so easy to do!

So, how do you meditate? To get started, you want to find a quiet space to settle into. Then you want to focus on your breathing. Take five deep breaths: in through the nose and out through the mouth. Let your eyes close. Take a few moments to settle into your body. Gently observe your posture and notice the sensations where your body touches the chair and your feet meet the ground.  Acknowledge your senses. Slowly turn your mind inwards. Scan your body from head to toe and release any tension or discomfort. Scan your body again and again until you start to feel relaxed. Now turn your awareness to your thoughts. Notice any thoughts that arise without attempting to alter them. Next, bring your attention to your breathing. Observe the rising and falling sensation that it creates in your body. Begin silently counting your breaths: 1 as you inhale, 2 as you exhale and so on, up to 10. Now, allow your mind to be completely free. As you come out of your meditation, become aware once more of the physical feelings, wiggle your toes, feel what your fingers are touching. When you’re ready, open your eyes. 

Look at that! Easy! There are a ton of apps that teach you and help you get started. So, why not give it try? Start meditating today and notice a difference in as little as a week!

Benefits You’re Missing out on!

If you are gearing up for college or thinking about getting a degree but don’t want to take out thousands of dollars in student loans, look no further. SFM offers eligible employees a 100% completely FREE college degree through the Archways Program at Colorado Technical University! 

The Commitment Grant, along with maximizing Archways to Opportunity tuition assistance, covers 100% of eligible students’ online tuition, including eBooks and student fees, at CTU helping you to pursue your educational goals without the need for student loans. With over 80 programs to choose from, this no brainer option doesn’t leave you limited in degree fields to pursue. Plus, if you are interested in obtaining your Masters Degree, you can do so at CTU with up to 43% of your tuition covered by CTU! 

If you want to learn more about CTU or are interested in signing up, contact Cindy at cindy@scottmcd.com or visit the website!

The Ronald McDonald House is celebrating 50 years this year! 

For fifty years, RMHC has focused on caring for families so they can care for their children. From the very first Ronald McDonald House opening in 1974 with 11 programs in the United States during the 70’s, to now having over 1000+ programs in 62 countries today! The Ronald McDonald House makes a huge impact on its communities, and that can’t happen without YOU! When you ask customers to Round Up for RMHC, you are making a bigger difference than you realize! Keep asking your guests to round up or get with your manager for volunteer opportunities available at the house! 

Crew Trainer of the Quarter

Mary Williams
Harley Coppage
Jaden Arvin
Joseph Hillard
Yolanda Lemarroy
Amanda Matthews
Kennedy Peters
Dylan Clark
Jaymie Dale
Kylan Jewell

Congratulations to LaDaniel Whitaker for obtaining his OTP Pro certification! LaDaniel attended a 5 day class in Chicago where he was able to grasp a better understanding of all things McDonalds technology. His favorite part of the experience was being able to learn everything hands on! Next up for LaDaniel is the OTP Pro Conference in Chicago! He is so excited for this next opportunity!

 

 

We have two new McBabies in the family! 

Lindsay, our Brand Ambassador in Ohio welcomed Juniper April Sturwold on June 6, 2024. Weighing 7lbs. 11oz, 19.75 inches long. Lindsay, her husband Zach, and son Logan are overwhelmed with joy!

 

Nikki, our Office Manager in Ohio welcomed Adalynn Elizabeth Taylor on August 5, 2024. Weighing 7lbs. 14oz, 20 inches long! Nikki, her husband Chad, and son Bryson prayed long and hard for baby Addi and are so happy to finally have her here! 

Send us the cool things you do outside of work to be featured in our next newsletter! 

Taco Pasta

If you are like me and like to save money, you’re also probably shopping at ALDI! This Taco Pasta is a quick, easy, CHEAP, and delicious meal that you can throw together – and you can get all the ingredients at ALDI! 

Ingredients:

1tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 pound ground beef or turkey
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 can, 10oz rotel diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
8 oz pasta shells
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute 1 more minute. 

2. Add the ground beef or turkey, breaking apart the meat as it cooks for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the taco seasoning, Rotel and chicken broth, stirring until combined. Add the pasta shells and stir to combine. 

4. Turn the heat to HIGH and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium-low, cover and  simmer until the pasta is cooked through (about 10-15 minutes). Stir frequently, add more chicken broth if needed. 

5. Stir in shredded cheese and enjoy! 

Taco Pasta

If you are like me and like to save money, you’re also probably shopping at ALDI! This Taco Pasta is a quick, easy, CHEAP, and delicious meal that you can throw together – and you can get all the ingredients at ALDI!

Ingredients:

1tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 pound ground beef or turkey
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 can, 10oz rotel diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
8 oz pasta shells
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute 1 more minute.

2. Add the ground beef or turkey, breaking apart the meat as it cooks for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the taco seasoning, Rotel and chicken broth, stirring until combined. Add the pasta shells and stir to combine.

4. Turn the heat to HIGH and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the pasta is cooked through (about 10-15 minutes). Stir frequently, add more chicken broth if needed.

5. Stir in shredded cheese and enjoy!

Jason Tumbusch's Kids

Jason Tumbusch's Kids

Richie & Nikki Hahn's Girls

Richie & Nikki Hahn's Girls

Tori Strait's Kiddos

Tori Strait's Kiddos

Warren Davidson's Boy

Warren Davidson's Boy

Jess Carpenter's Kids

Jess Carpenter's Kids

Annagrace's Kiddos

Annagrace's Kiddos

Coming Up

Pumpkin Spice

 

The fall favorite is back! Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee & Pumpkin Spice Latte’s are back in stores now! 

 

 

Pumpkin & Creme Pie

 

Along with the Pumpkin Spice, the Pumpkin & Creme Pie is back in stores now! 

 

 

NEW! Mini McFlurries

 

The new Mini McFlurries are hitting stores on September 9th! Mini Oreo McFlurry & Mini M&M’s McFlurry will be available!

 

 

Are you Ready to Further your Education?

Archways to Opportunities gives you all of the resources you need to begin or continue your college education! 

Archways To Opportunity

McDonald’s and its independent franchisees are committed to helping employees further their education and achieve their dreams.

To help individuals who work at a company-owned or independently franchised restaurant, we created Archways to Opportunity, a comprehensive education strategy with multiple programs that give people an opportunity to grow and learn – no matter where they are on their journey.

How do I earn my High School Diploma?

You can graduate from high school by taking classes online – whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you – through Career Online High School. And, you may be able to apply credits from high school courses you’ve already completed.

How do I choose an affordable path to college?

If you are ready to get started working toward your college degree, Archways to Opportunity® offers programs to help make your goals a reality – in a way that fits your lifestyle.

Our programs can help you explore educational opportunities while getting financial support to make your educational journey easier.

How do I figure out the right path for me?

Figuring out the next step in your education and career journey may feel like a lot. Bright Horizons EdAssist Solutions has Success Coaches who are available to help you identify your education needs, review your career goals and develop a plan for the future. Your coach will continue to support you throughout your experience to ensure that you successfully achieve your goals and complete your program.

How do I improve my English?

We want you to feel confident in all that you do. If you are bilingual, this includes being comfortable talking in English. Whether you are speaking to customers or staff, your voice should be heard. English Under the Arches® can help.

With the support of English Under the Arches, you can improve your English speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.

How do I earn my degree for free through CTU?

The Commitment Grant, along with maximizing Archways to Opportunity tuition assistance, covers 100% of eligible students’ online tuition, including eBooks and student fees, at CTU helping you to pursue your educational goals without the need for student loans.

Eligible students may utilize the Commitment Grant towards any Associate or Bachelor’s degree program offered at CTU.

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