When Tom Phillip brought his wife, Geri, to the Snack Shack at Shady Maple Farm Market, it was not just about enjoying homemade food for lunch. Rather, the activity provided a form of socialization for Geri, who has Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's disease.

Tom and Geri, who are lifelong residents of Honey Brook and have been married for more than 54 years, visited Shady Maple every day until recently, when Geri was placed in hospice care at their home. The Snack Shack employees noticed their absence, which prompted them to surprise Tom and his wife with meals and goodies, which were delivered to their home.

"I brought my wife to Shady Maple every day as a form of therapy. Having the stimulation and the daily relationships with Shady Maple staff gave Geri solace," explained Tom. "After not seeing Geri at the store and hearing of Geri's hospice situation, Shady Maple (employees) presented a token of their kindness and love for me and my wife. The staff brought a box of meals and goodies with this beautiful card."

During their daily meals, which took place for at least a year, Geri and Tom got to know the employees at the Snack Shack. "Most of them are young women. One is a senior in high school; others are freshmen or sophomores in college," said Tom. "They work there when they can to earn some money to support their educational costs. They are out there trying to improve their lives and pursuing careers. I always took an interest in how they were doing and tried to (share) some experiences that I had when I was young person."

Tom said he was not surprised that the employees pulled together to provide him and his wife with gifts, which included five pre-made meals, a basket of fruit, a container of mixed nuts and a box of chocolate-covered pretzels.

"They knew about my wife's situation and had a perception that these are things that don't get better over time. We were kind of like family," Tom shared. "These people are special, especially in that they are young people. They are thoughtful and they are respectful, and we always had a good time. There (was) always banter going back and forth."

He said that people in the community should be aware of the Snack Shack employees' kind gesture. "This is an act of kindness - good people doing good things," said Tom. "The focal point for me is that the women who work at the Snack Shack (used) their own money (to) fund the cost of the big box of stuff. People in the vicinity should know they live in a special place."

Tom is currently providing care for Geri, who attended St. Peter Parish in Honey Brook and was a volunteer at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson. She previously worked at Kayeness Inc., a plastic molding company in Honey Brook, and at Tel Hai Retirement Community.