Mary Lou

Mary Lou Hamilton waits on customers at the Country Convenient Food Mart on a busy morning. Hamilton usually works in her office, but helps out front when she is needed. "Most of my work here is not labor, its answering questions," Hamilton said. "I'm a problem solver."

Danny Glasscock peers out the drive-up window at the Country Convenient Food Mart. Glasscock opens the store up every morning at 4:30 for the early morning customers.

Charles Campbell is one of the many "regulars" that hangs out at the Country Convenient Food Mart. The men share stories and jokes every morning and the smiles never seem to be scarce.

Clarence "Spook" Murphy shares a laugh with other "regulars" at the Country Convenient Food Mart while Danny Glasscock cooks breakfast for them.

Mary Lou Hamilton heads out the door everyday at 2:30 to pick up her granddaughter, Hallie, from daycare. Hallie's parents both work and she cannot wait for the time when her grandmother arrives to take her away.

Mary Lou Hamilton spends time with her granddaughter, Hallie Hamilton, while her parents are still at work. Mary Lou picks Hallie up every day from Cornerstone Daycare and spends one on one time with her, whether it be helping her feed her pony, shopping on Friday afternoons or simply spending time outdoors.

Owner Mary Lou Hamilton and assistant manager Maura Clark go over some business as soon as Hamilton arrives. Hamilton and Clark have always had a good relationship. Hamilton was friends with Clark's mother for 20 years before she died and she feels Maura is like one of her own family.

Verda Calhoun, of Lebanon, Ky., is NCAAP president of the Lebanon chapter and is an activist for many issues in the community. After recently getting a road named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., her most important, long-term project is getting a local slave cemetary refurbished. "So much history has been lost and its important for everybody to know," Calhoun said. "Its not just for me, its for future generations."