At any given hour of the day, though especially after parietals on a weekend, anyone on campus can expect to find Reckers hopping with students, waiting for a pizza or smoothie, chatting with friends in one of the comfy lounge areas, studying, or simply people-watching. Those behind the counter are both students and full-time university employees, many of whom have worked at Reckers since its beginnings.
This week’s Who’s Who is Debbie Dobecki, who has worked at Notre Dame for 17 years, beginning at the Huddle. She began working at Reckers when it opened in 1998, and also works at Irish Ink in the bookstore when needed. I met up with Debbie as she finished her shift at the bookstore, and we walked back to Reckers together.
I asked Debbie her favorite part of working at Notre Dame. “My favorite part is working with students, and talking with them,” she replied. Her favorite meal to get at Reckers is the barbecue chicken pizza. When she learned that I had never ordered it, she urged me to taste it, saying that “it’s what we’re famous for.”
Originally from Muncie, Indiana, Debbie came to South Bend to attend Ivy Tech. Her father is currently in South Bend as well, and she and her husband have two sons. I asked if she had any plans for Thanksgiving. “This year, my husband and I are going to our eldest son’s house in Illinois to have dinner,” she said.
As we stopped in front of Reckers, the wind blowing fiercely, I asked her if she had any advice for the students. She paused and reflected for a few moments.
“The best way I can think of to say this is that Notre Dame is their home, so they should take care of it like their home,” she said. “Ninety to 95 percent of students are wonderful, but we do have a small percentage that do a lot of damage, or steal things.”
“Everyone is always in a hurry,” she acknowledged, but students need to be more aware of other people, and that the staff are doing the best they can when it is busy. I sympathized with her on this point, having worked at Sonic a few summers ago.
Despite the stresses of working at Reckers, Debbie always serves with a smile, and says something kind as she hands over your latte or smoothie, which is one of the reasons she caught my attention. I am at Reckers a fair share, to grab coffee before class or crash in a comfy corner for a few hours to study in a not-so-serious atmosphere.
Next time you’re at Reckers, take a few moments out of your busy schedule to ask the cashier how his or her day is going, and show your appreciation for all they do.
Liz Everett is a sophomore English and PLS major who hails from McGlinn. Contact her at eeveret1@nd.edu.
