Macon Mayhem serves up good will at Fatz

The person in the crowded foyer of Fatz Café in Warner Robins was just plain curious Wednesday night.

“Where do all these people come from?” she asked.

“Well, that’s because the Macon Mayhem is here and they’re our celebrity servers tonight,” replied the hostess.

Members of the Southern Professional Hockey League team were in town to serve the public in a demonstration of community service. It’s something they said they enjoy.

“I personally like the community service aspect. I like interacting with people out there,” said Cameron Yarwood, 21, from Plymouth, Mich., 45 miles from Detroit. “Especially down South, where the people really don’t know hockey, so it’s fun explaining it to them. It’s interesting.”

Most admitted they had no experience waiting on tables but were looking forward to the challenge. The event was a fundraiser for Heart of Georgia Hospice located nearby on Westridge Drive.

Steve McCall, vice president of sales and media relations for the team, said the event was organized by himself and Brooke Dobson, operating partner at the café.

“Fatz is one of our corporate partners at our games,” McCall said. “Every night we do a chicken dance (he demonstrates) and the winner wins a Calabash Chicken dinner.”

The meal is a Fatz specialty.

“As part of our corporate partnership we decided why not have a celebrity waiter night with Macon Mayhem team members?,” he continued. “We tell our fans to come, have our guys serve you, and the tips they receive will go to a charity. We put that deal back together in August and decided to wait past holiday time when things slow down a little bit and this would be a business boost for them.”

“Steve and I hooked up last year with our sponsorship. About a month ago we planned the date,” said Dobson. “Heart of Georgia Hospice has been a community partner with us. They’re just one street over, so we try to keep them involved.”

Sherry Robinson, human resources director for Heart of Georgia Hospice, said the event was tailor-made for hockey team.

After a short briefing in the kitchen from Dobson, the players launched into serving customers in the crowded restaurant. The place was filled with lots of laughter and chit chat as team members served drinks and food and helped clear tables. There were many selfies taken with the team, from one person to a crowd of customers.

“We’re just delivering food. Don’t know if we’re going to take orders, but for now I’m just going with the flow,” said one player as he rushed on by.

“Hey, I just learned something. This is the ‘in’ door, and that is the ‘out’ door,” said Lucas LaBelle from Ontario, Canada. “I was worried because I was carrying a platter full of drinks and didn’t want to hit somebody and spill all of it.”

“Yeah, we’re going to get a group picture,” said customer Tammy Singleton. “Send me one from your phone, too, O.K.?”

A group gathered near a corner table and posed with Yarwood and teammate Nick Grasso, all sporting the mandatory smiles. At another table, Robinson had a few compliments to give.

“Thank you, guys, for doing this,” she said. “I work at hospice and I really appreciate this.”

Dobson divided time between the kitchen and the dining area, keeping an eye on the event as it progressed.

“They work really hard, don’t they?” she said.

The event raised more than $600, Robinson said Thursday. “We’re tickled about that,” she said.

HHJ News