The life of a lunch lady

For 22 years, she's worked in school lunch rooms. Her latest assignment: the new Alonso High School.

By JACKIE RIPLEY

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 17, 2001

CITRUS PARK -- Cheryl Pulley, who spent 10 years living on military bases with her family before moving to Citrus Park, recalls one particular base commander who had an aversion to dandelions.

[Times photo: Mike Pease] Cheryl Pulley takes an order for two slices of pizza while working recently as lunchroom manager at her new post: Alonso High School.

"So we'd be out there pulling up dandelions," said Pulley, 57.

Today she satisfies a different kind of commander, thousands a day, with teenage appetites.

Pully has worked 22 years in the Hillsborough County school system's food service division, and for the last 10 years she's been a lunchroom manager.

She and her family moved to Citrus Park when her husband, Chuck, retired from the Air Force.

It was the right move, she said. "It was a good place to raise children and there was a lake behind the fire station where the kids could fish and swim in the summer."

Having raised two sons here, Pulley now is working to help craft the Citrus Park community plan, a blueprint for future growth.

She, Chuck and their two dogs live on Alvina Street. This month she landed a new challenge as lunchroom manager at the new Alonso High School in Town 'N Country.

"It's like being in the middle of a melting pot," Pulley said of her job.

"A manager is not just someone who sits in an office. It's a hands-on job -- cashier, cooking, baking, doing whatever is called for. There's also the challenge of meeting deadlines and the reward of seeing students being happy."

- Jackie Ripley can be reached at (813) 226-3468.

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