hero box lunch

The name behind the face behind the counter

story by ren park

Karen Bond, kitchen manager, has worked in the cafeteria since 2004. She wakes up at 4:30 in the morning every day. At 5:30, she arrives at work and begins to prepare food for over 800 students.

“ This really is my ideal job,” she said. “I don’t have any aspirations to retire. I don’t have any desire to go into a different position or field. This is where I like to be.”

Bond originally wanted to be a home economics teacher, but soon realized that she wasn’t the right fit for the job. She worked as an administrative assistant until she fell into the food service industry at a friend’s hotdog and ice cream restaurant, Dips and Dogs, in downtown Overland Park. Whether it was fate or misfortune that led Dips and Dogs to close, it brought Bond to where she is today.

It wasn’t clear what her responsibilities would be when Bond interviewed for the position. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she knew that she had an opportunity to work near her son and his friends. Those familiar faces made her job more interesting every day.

Although Bond’s sons graduated more than ten years ago, her connections with them are one of her top priorities.

“My kids all live within ten minutes of us,” she said. “We get to see them quite a bit.”

Whether they’re playing frisbee in their backyard or putting together a jigsaw puzzle at the kitchen table, Bond spends time with her sons and her grandchildren almost every day.

“Our children are really our best friends,” she said.

The way Bond sees it, raising her sons to be respectful and successful is one of her greatest achievements.

“I’m very proud of how my children have turned out,” she said. “I have three boys. They’ve all grown to be wonderful young men that are very caring. When I saw them graduate from high school, it made me feel like I was a good person.”

Bond’s experience with leading started at a young age. She grew up on a farm, the oldest of three siblings. Some of her tasks included driving tractors, baling hay, and tending to the countless animals. Like her job in the cafeteria, she never knew what to expect from a day’s work.

“I think farming really helped me learn how to be the person I am,” she said.

“You dealt with changes every day. There was never two days that were the same. You just woke up in the morning and found out what you needed to do, and if you needed to change that idea halfway through the day, then you made adjustments. I think that growing up on the farm has helped me understand that you deal with change every day, and that you have to be resilient and open to new ideas.”

The kitchen is always busy–with limited staff and seemingly unlimited responsibilities–but Bond still finds time to instill a welcoming environment full of collaboration. According to Norma Robertson, head baker, everything in the kitchen goes smoothly, largely due to Bond’s efforts. Everyone knows what job they need to complete, which can often be several. Robertson said that after any member of staff finishes their tasks, they’ll help another member.

Despite staff shortages and ongoing supply issues, Bond’s ability to adapt ensures that every student has something available to them at lunchtime. If there’s an item that the kitchen can’t get, there will always be a similar substitute. Chips and Ice drinks might not be available some days, but students can always get a bottle of water.

“They just have to be patient with us going through the lines, because they are longer,” she said. “We have a great group of kids here, but there’s a few that

are difficult.”

Bond believes that even the most difficult students are all good at heart. She even sees herself in some of them.

“I see traits like mine in a lot of different people,” she said. “Unfortunately, because we have such a short time to see any student, it’s hard to get to know each one. And that’s kind of sad. I’d love to be able to get to know more kids.”