Walk into the kitchen at St. Ann School in Cadillac around 8 a.m. and you will find cook Dawn Feister humming around pots and pans with confidence. You will be greeted with a warm smile and a cheerful, “How are you today?” Her words feel like a big hug, setting the tone for the day.
For 15 years, Dawn has been a steady, loving presence in the lives of St. Ann students. She began when her children attended the school, left for a time and returned when her grandchild enrolled.
Though she calls herself “just a lunch lady,” students and staff know she is much more. Dawn says: “It all begins and ends with the children. If I can make them feel loved, I’ve done my job.”
Her care goes beyond preparing meals. The kitchen is often called “Dawn’s kitchen” because she treats it like her own. As a grandmother of a child with severe allergies, she takes cleanliness and safety seriously.
“Having allergies should not mean a child misses out on good meals,” Dawn explains. “I’m happy to do what needs to be done so every child is fed—and fed safely.”
She knows every student by name, their likes and dislikes, and she delights in making them feel special. “I love being here with them,” she says.
Students describe Dawn warmly: “She makes me feel happy” and “She makes me smile.”
Crystal Peacock, a paraprofessional, adds: “We are fortunate to have her. Dawn is devoted to our Catholic faith. She even mentors students preparing for sacraments.”
Her daughter Emily calls her “selfless with a servant’s heart.” Growing up, Emily remembers a home with a revolving door—cousins, siblings and foster children always welcome, with something cooking on the stove. “She always puts others first,” Emily says. “The care she takes of the school kitchen shows her love for the students and St. Ann School.”
For Dawn, the kitchen is a ministry. When she sees simple acts of kindness by the children or the innocence of a child, she is reminded of God’s love every day.
Dawn’s example inspires others to see ordinary work as holy. For her, every meal is an offering of love, and every child served is a reminder that God’s grace often appears in life’s simplest moments.
As St. Teresa of Avila said, the Lord truly walks among the pots and pans. In Dawn’s kitchen, his presence is felt in every smile and every meal served with love.
