Machias woman marks unique milestone

When you think of milestones, you think of 50 years being married or your 50th year graduation reunion. Or maybe your 50th birthday bash. But for Sherry Preston it is having worked for the Hannaford store in Machias for 50 years.

As a child she enjoyed going to camp in the summertime. She also raked blueberries and shaked hay.

At Hannaford, she's enjoyed its Christmas parties, summer picnics and floats for the 4th of July. It's been a job where she can walk to and from the store. Her positions have included being a cashier and bagging training, working in the office and being a shift leader. But what she loves most is being a cashier. "I always come back to the register. I like to chat it up with the customers," she says. "I had 13 store managers over the years. In the beginning, we used to hand punch everything. Now all we do is scan most everything."

She's seen co-workers and customers come and go over the years as well as store growth. "We went from four aisles to 11," she notes.

She's also gained perspective. "My motto from my store manager is if you have time to lean, you have time to clean."

Customers tell her about their children getting married or having children or if someone has passed away. "We get busy in the summertime. We have a lot people come from away," she says. "I know a lot of customers by their first names. As I'm getting older I might recognize the customers' faces but I won't remember their first names."

As she checks people out with their groceries, she's found most people are patient. "I've tried to be friendly and kind to all my customers. I have been there for so long. I'm Dr. Ruth. I'm Dr. Sherry. I know what's going on, and I know what the customers are all about."

As she looks back, she smiles and says, "Everything is good or I wouldn't last for 50 years. It's been a good 50 years. I don't know how fast the time has gone, blown right by."