As we celebrate the holiday season, PRC wanted to take the time to recognize the people and places that continue to make us who we are. “Thankful Thursday” is our way of not only expressing gratitude, but exemplifying the unique voices within our company. Join us every Thursday, this season, for a new story and perspective.
Jenn Kerns
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Every year, my husband and I create an amazing feast for our family. Preparations begin the weekend before with cranberry compote and turkey stock for gravy. On Thanksgiving Day we start early in the morning, preparing the turkey for the oven and the ham for the roaster. Next, we tackle the sides: stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. There is usually a period where I wonder if I will have time to shower and clean up before guests arrive, but it always happens. Family members arrive with rolls, pies, appetizers, and salads. The quiet order of the morning is replaced with chaos, as my husband carves meat, one sister mashes potatoes while another whisks gravy, and someone else asks if they can warm up rolls in the oven.
My favorite moment arrives when the feast is laid out and the family gathers around the kitchen in anticipation. In that moment I am filled with pride for the feast we prepared, gratefulness for the bounty we are able to provide, and thankfulness for the family around me. After the meal, we gather to watch football, eat pie, and have great conversation. Unlike other holidays, there are no other distractions; we are free to enjoy each other’s company. The time we have together as a family strengthens our relationships and connects us to one another.
I am grateful to have a work family at PRC as well. I have worked at PRC in the Data Analysis and Reporting department for over 21 years. Several members of our team have been with me from the early years, watching my life story unfurl from newlywed, new mother, sports mom, and now as an empty nester.
As a production department, we rely on each other to get projects done and meet deadlines. We trust each other to perform assigned responsibilities and we support each other when someone needs help. We share a common purpose to complete our work accurately and on time. When there is work to be done, my staff is there. The teamwork in the Data Analysis and Reporting Team exists throughout PRC. Our team is one of the last stops in the production line at PRC and the quality of our work is dependent upon the teams that touch projects before us.
I sometimes take for granted the teamwork that exists at PRC. There are even times when we bicker like siblings. But there are moments, such as when we finish a very large project, that I step back and take time to appreciate the magnitude of what we accomplished, filling me with appreciation for my dedicated teammates. At those times, I am filled with the same sense of awe and gratitude I experience each Thanksgiving day.