During Jersey Mike's Month of Giving, we are proud to celebrate the incredible partnership and the meaningful moments that come from working together in our communities.
Recently, Special Olympics Virginia athlete and Global Messenger Kaitlin Dykes joined the Special Olympics team for a meeting with the General Managers from the Hampton Roads region. The gathering, hosted in partnership with Atlantic Food Group, gave Kaitlin the opportunity to share her story and connect with local leaders who help bring Jersey Mike’s commitment to service to life every day.
During the meeting, Michael Stemler, Director of Operations with Atlantic Food Group, surprised the group with a special presentation. Jersey Mike’s challenge coins feature the company’s five core values around the edge:
Attitude, Service, Teamwork, Integrity, and Excellence.
Michael first presented a coin representing Service to Hunter, a Jersey Mike's General Manager, in recognition of the exceptional service he demonstrated during an interaction with his store’s athlete ambassador.
Then came another surprise. Michael, on behalf of the entire Jersey Mike's team, presented Kaitlin with a challenge coin representing Attitude, telling her she should be incredibly proud of the impact she makes in the community. He shared that Kaitlin’s positivity, joy, and commitment to spreading happiness embody the very best of Jersey Mike’s values, and that she is the first person outside of Jersey Mike’s to ever receive one of these coins.
For Kaitlin, the moment was especially meaningful. As a collector of challenge coins, she was thrilled to add this one to her collection - made even more special by the recognition behind it.
It was a powerful reminder that partnerships like the one between Special Olympics Virginia and Jersey Mike’s are about more than fundraising during the Month of Giving. They are about celebrating the people who inspire us all through their attitude, service, and dedication to community.