WoodmenLife Members’ Food Truck Business Is a Family Affair

WoodmenLife is there for our members at every stage of life. The Bahers offer a prime example: Though the Alabama family is now living out their dream, their journey has had its ups and downs. WoodmenLife provides them with peace of mind so they can focus on what’s most important. Here is their story.

A Winding Road

Chris Baher was exhausted from long hours as a cook and staff shortages. His wife, Lydia, was concerned after losing her job as a restaurant manager due to a COVID-19 closure. Both secretly dreamed of starting their own business to provide for their family.

When Lydia mentioned her idea one night, Chris responded with, “Oh, my God. I was thinking the same thing.”

That kicked off their journey to owning their own business, Lena’s Rolling Kitchen. Their only regret now is that they didn’t do it sooner. However, the path to running their food truck was filled with unexpected bumps in the road.

First, the truck broke down as they left Charlotte, NC, where the Bahers purchased it. Then, its loose steering system made the drives through busy Atlanta and the mountains of northern Alabama nerve-wracking.

Chris drove the truck, and Lydia followed behind with the couple’s six children, while checking in via cellphone.

“I thought I was going to fall off a mountain,” he joked. “The kids had to be asking, ‘Why is Dad screaming?’”

Later, they faced a fire and another truck breakdown, this time requiring a tow to their event location. Eventually, though, their journey smoothed out, and the Bahers reached a tasty destination.

“The main thing is perseverance,” Lydia said.

“And a good workflow,” Chris added. “You have to be consistent and offer good customer service.”

Lydia and her husband, Chris, followed their dream of opening their own food truck. Not only are they doing what they love, but it’s an opportunity to spend time with the whole family.

Making Stomachs Happy

Of course, there’s the food, too. The Bahers, of Albertville, AL, have built clientele in the area — like several Lowe’s home improvement stores — thanks to their commitment to quality food.

“Their employees liked us, and they’ve asked for us to come back,” Lydia said.

Lena’s Rolling Kitchen offers a core menu of burgers, nachos, quesadillas, and chicken tenders. The Bahers will also customize the menu to accommodate customer requests and event expectations, featuring items such as banana pudding, fried bologna sandwiches, lasagna, and Asian cuisine. Everything is handmade, including Lydia’s dessert specialty: cake crumbles.

“I can’t make a beautiful-looking slice of cake,” she laughed, “but I can make it great-tasting.”

A Family Affair

In a business where one must handle maintenance, accounting, cooking, and serving, having family support is crucial. The Baher kids range in age from 2 to 13, and the older ones help by manning the register, setting up on location, cleaning up, and delivering meals.

Mom and Dad credit this business-related togetherness for making memories that will last a lifetime.

All the time spent with their children also reminds them how happy they are to have purchased a WoodmenLife Family Term life insurance certificate, which helps protect their whole family. The certificate covers two adults and their children¹ for an initial term of 10 or 20 years for one affordable monthly premium. Plus, the coverage extends as the family grows, covering children born or adopted at a later date². And the children are covered until age 25.

Lydia liked that the certificate’s affordability fit into their budget. She and Chris both felt a peace of mind right away.

“It’s a cliche,” Chris said, “but it’s very comforting to know that Lydia and the kids would be taken care of if something happened to me.”

For more information about Family Term life insurance, visit WoodmenLife.org/Family-Term. You can find your local WoodmenLife Representative at WoodmenLife.org/Find/Rep.

1. Children born or adopted by the Primary Insured or Other Insured or for which the Primary Insured or Other Insured has been appointed permanent Legal Guardian. The child must be less than 18 years of age on the date of application. Certain eligibility requirements apply.
2. Coverage extends to any child born to the primary insured or other insured, any child less than 18 years of age legally adopted by the primary insured or other insured, or any child less than 18 years of age for which the other insured or the primary insured has been appointed permanent legal guardian. No child is insured before attaining the age of 15 days. Certain eligibility requirements apply.
Forms ICC16 8083 R-1-16 and 8063 R-1-16 (xx).
All contractual provisions apply and may vary by state. All products may not be available in all states.

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