Friends wash cars, serve breakfast for tornado victim family
Friends Constance Jones (left) and Megan Johnson (center) wash a car while Dustin Howell (right) hoses it down at the Applebee’s fundraiser for bartender Elijah Dixon and his family. Dixon’s coworkers washed cars in the parking lot while the restaurant served a benefit pancake breakfast inside.
By Charles Molineaux | For The Record
MADISON – Organizers declared inspiring success with a fundraising drive to help a Madison family torn by deadly tornadoes. A steady stream of customers, friends and well-wishers visited the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill in Madison’s Plaza Centre Saturday for a pancake breakfast and car wash to benefit popular bartender Elijah Dixon.
“Everybody feels good about it,” exclaimed coworker Megan Johnson who helped wash cars in the parking lot, “a lot of hugs.”
Dixon’s five-year-old daughter Calista was killed when twin tornadoes hit the town of Pilger, Neb., on June 16. Her mother Kandi Murphree was hospitalized in a coma. Dixon’s other daughter Robin, 4, survived uninjured.
While Dixon traveled to Kansas to bury Calista and bring Robin back to Madison, friends sought to support him through a series of fundraisers at the restaurant and at two other Madison County Applebees.
Supporters said the drive to help was reflexive for fellow employees as well as regular customers because Dixon, who has worked at the restaurant for 11 years, was widely liked. Many coworkers also knew Calista and Robin who often visited the restaurant.
“He’s one of my closest friends here,” said Constance Jones as she supervised the corps of shorts and bathing suit clad volunteers spraying and scrubbing in the sun at the car wash. “We’ve been busy all day.”
“A lot of our regulars that come up here,” added Johnson. “They participated with the pancake breakfast, got the word around in Madison to tell people to come out and help support Elijah.”
Inside the restaurant, friends eagerly counted up the days proceeds. “At least $2,500,” reported coworker Anne Smiddy who also predicted an emotional welcome when Dixon returns to work.
Employees credited Applebee’s area director Lance Stanley for devising the car wash. Stanley trained working alongside Dixon and described a desire to help emerging from all quarters. “It was almost a reunion,” Stanley said. “Team members that don’t even work for us now, anyone that’s ever worked with Elijah, came out and supported him today because he’s a good guy. They consider him family.”
Charles Molineaux is an anchor and investigative reporter with WAFF 48 News.
