RICHMOND, Va. -- Fanaye Moore thought she was doing a quick interview about summer treats at her Gelati Celesti job in Bon Air when Melissa Hipolit surprised her as the recipient of our CBS 6 Gives segment.
Hipolit told Moore she chose to honor a Gelati Celesti employee because "my family was very thankful to be able to continue to get Gelati Celesti ice cream throughout the pandemic because of hard working, brave employees like you who continued to come to work despite the raging pandemic."
Hipolit said the ice cream was a "bright spot during a dark time."
Moore, a Tucker High School grad and Tuskegee University Master's student in Environmental Science, has worked at Gelati Celesti for six years.
She started working at the ice cream store when she was in high school and continued almost every winter and summer when she was on break from college.
Her favorite flavor is strawberry.
While Gelati Celesti management said they wished they could honor all of their employees, here is why they chose Moore for the segment:
"Fanaye is an incredible employee and has always been a huge asset to the team, particularly during the pandemic. Words that come to mind include - flexible, dedicated, and positive. She was willing to take on any assignment at any location - from working in multiple stores to working on the truck to packing hundreds and hundreds of pints and completing prep work in the kitchen. She always shows up with a smile and provides exceptional customer service - especially during a time where we all needed to feel some positive energy!"
Moore, who is extremely humble, was very surprised by the honor and smiled as she listened to her manager, Hannah, and the owner of Gelati Celesti, Steve Rosser, sing her praises as they wiped away tears.
She said she enjoyed hearing customers thank her and other employees during the pandemic for providing them something that made their days better.
Moore received two gift cards to stores she loves: Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters.
CBS 6 Gives is made possible by Virginia Credit Union. Have an idea about who we should surprise next,
click here to email our team.
