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Rotary on the Rim awards McDonald's Store Manager Rafael Balbuena for his selfless contributions

Tusayan McDonald’s Store Manager Rafael Balbuena. Clara Beard/WGCN

Tusayan McDonald’s Store Manager Rafael Balbuena. Clara Beard/WGCN

Always willing to offer a hand to others, Rafael Balbuena, local store manager of McDonald's Grand Canyon, received Rotary on the Rim's annual Community Leader of the Year Award, announced during the Holiday Dinner Dance Dec. 8.

Balbuena said he was shocked when Rotarian Clarinda Vail said his name.

"I'm usually behind the scenes," he said. "But if people need something, I say, 'yes, we can help you, whatever you need.'"

After graduating from high school in San Diego, Balbuena traveled to Tusayan in 1993 to visit his brother, who worked at McDonald's. Balbuena's plan was to get a part-time job before college.

"I ended up staying here," Balbuena said. "This has been my first job and I've been here ever since. It doesn't seem like that long."

After working his way through the fast food ranks, Balbuena became store manager in 2001 and now oversees the day-to-day operations of nine shift managers, training and profit management.

He attributes his dedicated work ethic to advice from his mother, who always encouraged him to work hard and do his best.

"Make sure you're responsible and be on time. All of that paid off," he said.

Part of the reason Balbuena has called Tusayan home for so long is the relationships he's built over the years. He said he's met his best friends in Tusayan, forming bonds practically impossible to replicate anywhere else.

"Not just at work, but I'll go to the store and everyone knows you, I'll go to Flagstaff and you'll see someone and everyone says, 'hi, how are you doing?'" Balbuena said. "It's just a special feeling about being in a small town and knowing people and being caring about each other. If something happens, good or bad, you're always there to help. That's one of the best joys I have about being here."

Rotarian Clarinda Vail said by starting at the bottom and working his way up to manager, Balbuena is an example of an American success story.

"Once I organized a trash pick up day to fundraise for middle school sports uniforms and he [Balbuena] saw us all working and stopped to see what we were up to and told me to bring everyone by for lunch afterwards," Vail said. "He just saw kids working and wanted to offer something."

Rotarian and fellow co-worker Yvonne Trujillo nominated Balbuena for the award. She said he quietly supports all requests for help or donations, wherever they come from.

Along with a giving nature, Balbuena also upholds a quiet fairness and never jumps to conclusions.

"When people talk about Rafael, they say, 'yes, what a great guy, quiet, always working, he doesn't go out of his way to get noticed for himself,' Trujillo said.

Balbuena since 1993, when she hired him as part of the McDonald's crew. After she left town, Balbuena quickly moved up to crew trainer, then shift manager.

"I moved away in 1997 and when I called in 2007 to find out who the general manager was and they told me Rafael, I was not surprised because he had the drive and work ethic to earn his way to this position," Trujillo said. "When I asked him if it was okay for me to join Rotary, he said 'fine' because he knows that I am the vocal one and he is the quiet one from McDonald's Grand Canyon. He likes to stay in the background, but all of us in this community know that if we needed anything he would be there for us and has been there for us, just very quietly."


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