More than 20 years ago, Food Lion sent a team of young men and women to open a distribution center in Elloree.

“That group more than outdid their much older and experienced counterparts,” David Miller of the original management team.said.

Miller remembers that the Elloree facility opening came off without fanfare and their shipping department, typically the Achilles heel of many other warehouses, was productive from day one.

For the first time, on Feb. 17, a reunion of those employees was held at Clark’s Inn in Santee.

“Sixty associates, some a bit grayer, got together to recall memories of the past,” Miller said.

The event was organized by former dispatcher Kitty Collier.

“Time was getting away from us,” Collier said. “We were losing track of people.”

All but two of the original management team were on hand for the reunion. In addition to Miller, who opened the center, Barry Dyson, his successor, was there. Also present were former shipping supervisor Bobby Steele and transportation supervisor Claude Bruce. Dale Dyson and Danny Payne were unable to attend.

Miller believes that Food Lion was light-years ahead of other companies in terms of training and equal opportunity.

“When you look at the associates here tonight with 20-plus years of service who have been promoted from within, it’s a record that speaks for itself,” he said.

Current Food Lion Distribution Center manager Richard Carson, along with supervisors Woody Barrett and Ken Whetsell, worked their way up to their current positions. Other members of the original Elloree team put their Food Lion training to good advantage at other distribution companies. Steele and Jeff Akers run facilities for Wal-Mart. Dyson works for National Starch, Salisbury, N.C.; Miller works for Payne, vice president /operations, Southeast Frozen Foods, Miami, Fla.

T&D Correspondent Shirley Upton can be reached by e-mail at writer@ntinet.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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