CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KWWL) - Since the start of the pandemic, Joe Sample, a Cedar Rapids native, made a point to support local.
A year later, Sample has supported over 150 different eateries.
“I do take a selfie before I go in and then I’ll take the food pics and usually try to get a customer or person working there as well in the photo,” Sample said.
Posting in the Rally C.A.P. Facebook group, he eventually became viral.
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Joe Sample first takes a selfie at The Red Frog. -
Then, Sample takes a photo of his order.
Now, "Be like Joe," is a well known slogan to the group's 19,600 members.
Jordan Caviness, a partner with five local restaurants, including Stadium Bar & Grill, says he met Sample through social media.
“We got him a pizza and he made a post and all the sudden we had people calling and Facebooking us,” Caviness said.
Stadium Bar & Grill opened last week, after being closed due to derecho damage.
Caviness says restaurants need as much help as they can get.
“Hopefully everyone comes out like Joe and gets carry out, dine in, and delivery,” Caviness said.
“He can make a post on Facebook about any local business here in town and the staff expects to get that rush,” Winker said.
After being in the bar business for a long time, Winker says they took a leap of faith and opened The Red Frog on Oct. 1 last year.
“If we all come together and start supporting everyone, I think that the businesses will start to strive again and all of us locals will start coming back to life,” Winker said.
Making a difference
Sample supports local non-profits by participating in the Big Brother Big Sister program and volunteering with Bridge Under the Bridge.
“I helped give out food boxes a couple times,” Sample said.
Bridgette Robinson, founder of Bridge Under the Bridge, says she was excited to meet him.
Moved by the Robinson family's story, Sample raised money to reward the family for Christmas, rallying 105 donors.
“He’ll support anybody that is trying, he goes to all the different restaurants and he gives his reviews and it’s put so much more business in the community,” Robinson said.
"Be like Joe"
March 27 is National Joe Day, and Sample is inspiring many to support local business.
“The people that have supported the different restaurants is my biggest thing I like about it because hearing the good stories of how they’ve had their best week or two ever type of thing, it’s just really heartwarming,” Sample said.
Keeping track of receipts he estimates spending around $6,000 on his mission.
“It wasn’t cheap but to keep these places around I think it’s well worth it.”
Sample has no plans on stopping.
“Being like Joe is supporting local and trying to help our local businesses so that's why you want to be like Joe,” Sample said.
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March 28, 2021 at 10:12AM
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NATIONAL JOE DAY: a local man making a difference for community businesses - kwwl.com
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