Waukesha waitress receives surprise tip before Christmas
WAUKESHA, Wis. - When customers told a Waukesha waitress to "keep the change" – she had no idea how much it really was.
Sherry Moede is always on the go. She waits tables at Dave’s Restaurant near Main and Broadway.
"Sometimes, some customers don’t realize that we make so little, and we work for our tips," Moede said.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
That wasn't the case Monday.
"A group of 11 called, and they asked if they could come for breakfast," said Moede. "I said, ‘Yeah, come on in.’"
Sherry Moede
When the bill came, the group paid with a different kind of card – a Christmas card. Eleven $100 bills were stuffed inside. It meant a tip for Moede of $984.
It would have taken almost a month for Moede to earn that much money in tips. She knows that because, earlier this year, she gave $1,000 to help pay for a tombstone for her great-uncle George Schmidling.
Waukesha waitress Sherry Moede receives surprise tip from "Pewaukee Moms"
Schmidling, who died in 1961, was the Waukesha Police Department's first line-of-duty death. He was killed before Moede was born.
"He deserved to be honored," Moede said.
Waukesha Public Safety Memorial dedication; 'It is a bittersweet day'
Waukesha is paying tribute to five men who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the city.
Moede always puts her family first. She works two jobs, so it means something when others see her as deserving.
"I just feel bad because they didn’t have their name," she said. "I just didn’t realize they were so nice."
The card was signed "Pewaukee Moms." Moede said she didn’t recognize anyone at the table and plans to invest the money she got from the tip.