Whether you work at or visit Pinehurst, you are part of Rachel Flowers’ family

By Alex Podlogar

You may not know Rachel Flowers. But know this: she’s rooting for you.

She wants to welcome you. You and our guests. To make all of you feel at home. To make your moment count. To share in your joy. In all of theirs.

“I just want to do what’s right, that’s all,” she says.

On Pinehurst’s in-house social channel Beekeeper (similar to Facebook), Flowers has written only eight original posts of her own in about two years.

She has commented on 498. She has “liked” 652.

Rachel Flowers sees you.

And we and our guests see everywhere Flowers beautifies. For 25 years, Flowers has worked in Housekeeping for Pinehurst, spending most of her time in our public places, including The Carolina Hotel’s lobby and halfway houses around the golf courses.

But you may even see her handiwork in any of a number of office spaces around the property. That’s not in her job description, but it’s in her heart, especially when a co-worker is out or a team of room attendants is overwhelmed that day.

“I do more here at Pinehurst than I do at my own house,” Flowers says with a chuckle. “But this is home, too.”

“She lives and breathes Pinehurst,” says Rosemary Aribo, Pinehurst’s Director of Housekeeping. “Her love for Pinehurst and her work ethic are astounding. Every day, Rachel goes above and beyond. Every day.”

It’s a trait that’s been instilled in Flowers for as long as she can remember. “Everywhere I go, even as a child coming up – I remember I had teachers who loved me – it was just to do the next good thing. Do it right the first time, and you don’t have to go back and scoop it again.”

It sounds like a simple standard, but it’s only simple until presented with challenges. Long hours and short staffs. Added tasks. New employees needing to be shown the way – the correct way. Flowers takes that standard and adds her relentless charm, enthusiasm and desire to it.

“I don’t have to worry – we don’t have to worry – when Rachel’s on it, not only will it get done, it will get done properly,” Aribo says. “And beyond what you asked. She makes sure we’re covered.”

And all those comments on her fellow employees’ posts? Even that’s her way of lending her friends a hand.

“At first, I wasn’t going to go on there,” Flowers says of Beekeeper. “But then, I knew everyone on our staff is always so busy, and they probably wouldn’t be able to do it because they’re doing the work. But I felt somebody should be saying something from Housekeeping. So I took the initiative to try to say something every time I see something. I don’t want to say too much, but always with respect.”

That’s what families do.

“My Pinehurst family is all of you. All of you are my joy. I call all of you my family.”