KELLOGG - When Everett Jennings was in high school in Spokane Valley, he took a job at the local food store, bagging groceries after school to put some extra money in his pocket.

Seventeen years later, Jennings is still at the same company, managing Yoke's Fresh Market in Kellogg, and was honored for his near two decades of service by being named Yoke's Manager of the Year.

Jennings' peers at the other 10 Yoke's locations around Washington and Idaho voted on the award, and Jennings still won, despite being at the smallest location.

"It's a good feeling to know that being here, at the smallest store in Kellogg, that my peers still appreciate what we do," he said. "It's pretty cool for them to think this highly of me."

For Jennings, the award represents the culmination of 17 years working every job imaginable at Yokes around the northwest. He got his start as a box boy in 1994 after quitting his position as a server. He continued to chase his calling, bouncing around eight different Yoke's locations before settling in as the Kellogg manager four years ago.

Jennings believes that his readiness to re-locate to various stores, as well as his willingness to perform even the most menial tasks helped him in his ascent from Spokane Valley's box boy, to Sandpoint's assistant manager all the way to Kellogg's manager of the year. Using the experience he has ascertained over the years, Jennings is capable of performing any task at Yoke's.

"I've always worked hard, and I was willing to move around to put myself in a position to move up. I've done this for half my life, and this is what I know," he said. "I'm willing to do everything. I'm in charge of all the department heads, but I'm not afraid to fetch carts, carry groceries, and every once in awhile I unload freight at three in the morning. It's a small store, so everyone is going to have to do everything."

Yoke's has not only helped Jennings professionally, but it has helped him become more active personally. With a wife and kids at home, Jennings has a host of responsibilities inside and outside of the store. He is an active participant in his children's sports and other activities, and says that working for Yoke's has made it easy for him to be an active father and husband.

"Our company is really great to work for, and they've taken care of me and my family over all these years. The holiday times get busy for us, which means a little less time for family and some more time at work, but at the end of the day, they give us enough time to spend with our families. Yoke's has been really good. They've never told me I couldn't go somewhere or do something with my family."

Life working at Yoke's has never gotten stale for the 34-year old Jennings. He continues working tireless hours, and still does everything from stocking shelves to unloading inventory in the middle of the night. What started as an after-school job has turned into a "great career," for him.

"I've been here half my life and I still love it. I love what I do, and I don't see myself going to another grocery company, or any company," Jennings said.

"I've worked at the same place for 17 years, that's uncommon. It's pretty cool to think that you can be in high school bagging groceries and one day run a store."