Dear Reader:

Sometimes the best stories start with the simplest acts of kindness…resulting in uncovering something new.

I discovered a new pizza restaurant when Tommy emailed me Sunday and told me he “had a pizza for me.” He had participated in a “Find the Little D” contest sponsored by Charleston Coffee News. 

It was a 10 inch pepperoni pizza from Donatos. He had to pick it up there and since it turned out to be in Azalea Square in Summerville he realized that wouldn’t work for him…but it would for me.

Monday I had a meeting with my insurance agent so it didn’t suit to get the pizza but yesterday was wide open. I decided to go early before the lunch crowd since this was a “freebie” and might need identification or something. It took me a little while to find this pizza location in Azalea Square…(right behind Moe’s Grill…across the parking lot.)

It was just a little after 11 in the morning when I walked in. The nicest young cashier was working at the desk. I showed her the voucher and email on my IPhone. She never questioned anything but just smiled and said she would get it ready.

Since we were the only two people in the pizza parlor we started chatting. I told her the little bit I knew about the contest and how my son had given the voucher to me. I then asked how long they had been open (about a year) and if there were other Donatos in the area. (not our area but in Ohio)

She went and got a Summerville local news pamphlet that had a cover photo of a young family on it who are the owners and the nicest people she knows. They moved here from Ohio and had a big Ohio fan base for these pizzas, subs, salads and wide variety of beers. She said their number one goal, however, was making a commitment to the local community to help out as much as they could. The article on the family mentioned:

The first-ever Charleston-area Donatos opened in the summer of 2016. Aiming to be a great community partner right out of the gates, this Donatos donated to Shriner Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House of Charleston, and the Alzheimer Association—all before they served their first pizza!

Last December when Summerville got hit with the first major snow/ice storm in decades, the cashier said that the Kopniskys kept the pizza parlor up and running…delivering to homes without electricity to help get meals in dark, cold houses.

And they did it with a sense of humor!

With roots in Columbus, Ohio, owners Dane and Jaclyn Kopnisky particularly love serving those who have a passion for community service, (OSU) football fans, and foodies alike. They’re appreciative of the amazing support they’ve received from the surrounding Summerville community, which is known for being family-friendly and very supportive of local entrepreneurship.

Whether you’re in need of your Donatos fix or want to try something a little different, come visit Dane, Jaclyn and their whole gang—they’ll make you feel right at home!

While waiting on my pizza I took a picture of some chalk artwork on the wall. The cashier’s daughter had drawn it for the restaurant to help out. It is such a close, warm, supportive feeling inside this pizza parlor that I know I will return and support this young couple in their dreams because they understand the basics of ‘give and take’...and started off giving. A shout-out to the Kopinskys and welcome to Summerville! May your dreams come true!

The surprise from this pizza came when I got home! It is a lesson in reading the small print and subtle hint on the menu…the restaurants’s “mantra.” “Every piece is important.”

As I went to separate and  lift a ‘slice’ of pizza from the pie…I just came up with a small triangular bite-sized piece of pizza. My first thought was I had accidentally torn the pizza dough….but no…when I tried it again…I had a small size rectangular piece of pizza. Because “every piece is important” the pie is made up of different cut shapes of pizza – just big enough to pop in your mouth!

After my initial surprise…I loved it! It was like eating popcorn but instead pizza pops…just enough for a good bite. It was so easy to eat and I didn’t spill any toppings on me like I usually do while trying to lift a whole slice to my mouth, especially when the dough folds on you  just as it gets close to your face…

A great life lesson reminder…take one step at a time, and one bite of pizza at a time. It makes big problems shrink to manageable sized solutions!

Thanks Tommy! I shared the pizza with my neighbors and they all thank you too! (Everyone loved the bite sized idea for the pizza!)

So until tomorrow…Life is so much sweeter when we look for possibilities of new discoveries each and every day. We never know when we are going to make new friends, try out new places, and discover new ways to eat pizza!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh