Juice bar workers give tips to charity

Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2001 | 10:52 a.m.

The dozen workers at Jamba Juice health snacks store in Henderson had their best week ever for tips last week.

But they agreed they won't spend a penny of the $632 that customers gave them in gratuities. Instead, the money will go to the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts in terrorist-stricken New York City and Washington.

"What happened there hit some of us very hard -- it was absolutely horrid," said Erin Hemmeter, general manager and a server at Jamba Juice, 5500 Green Valley Parkway. "We couldn't go there or do anything else, so we agreed to give our tips to help the victims who need the money more than we do."

It was just one of the many little acts of generosity by Las Vegans amid the seven-figure casino gifts that have brought the total raised locally for victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to an estimated $6 million.

Hemmeter, 20, who has worked at Jamba Juice for four years and has been general manager since May, said plans are to present the money to the American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter this week.

Hemmeter said that making the record tips was not easy because business was slow early in the week. But it picked up, and so did the size of the tips after workers posted a sign saying they all would go to relief efforts.

"We had people who never before left a tip give us tips last week," she said. "We did not expect the response to be so great. We average about $400 in tips from Monday through Saturday." The establishment is closed Sundays.

Other acts of generosity: