By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University basketball player Ava Kitchin (Sr., F, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) and her mother Carlene Kitchin own and operate a food truck in Redmond, Oregon. They have combined their efforts to make the food truck a success. Ava can be found working at the food truck whenever she is available between semesters at Willamette and during other breaks on the University's schedule.

The Mighty Greek food truck serves Greek food as Ava and her mother honor the memory of Ava's grandfather, who migrated to the United States from Greece and opened a Greek restaurant in Southern California. He was robbed and murdered in 1977.

"We started The Mighty Greek food truck about three years ago when Ava took a gap year after her freshman year at Willamette once COVID hit," Carlene commented. "We always wanted to be in the restaurant business and bring Greek food to our town of Redmond because there were no Mediterranean options."

The chance to honor her grandfather was very important to Ava. Memories of him led Ava and Carlene to create The Mighty Greek food truck and those memories have kept them going as the food truck has gained in popularity.

"My Papou (grandfather) immigrated to America from a small island in Greece called Ikaria and started a Greek restaurant, Aris's Char Broil, down in Southern California," Ava said. "That is where he met my grandmother and had two kids, my mom Carlene and my Theo (uncle) Thansis. My grandfather was robbed and murdered on October 15th, 1977. The food truck is our way of keeping him alive in spirit and connecting back to our family's culture."

Once the mother-and-daughter team gained physical possession of the truck, they had to deal with all of the paperwork and projects required to get the truck ready for business. They also had to decide how to split the duties of operating the food truck.

"When we started, my mom bought the truck and I bought all the equipment that went into it (fridge, grill, fryer, etc.). Everything after was an even 50/50 split," Ava recalled. "My mother is the owner of an established senior home in Redmond, so her duties mainly consisted of behind-the-scenes work like paperwork, licensing etc. I took the hands-on duties of stocking up food, prepping, and working inside the truck itself. Our workers consist of my siblings -- my older sister Anna, my younger brother Harlowe, and my older brother Aris -- and a few students from the local high school." Ava works when she can during extended breaks in her academic work at Willamette.

"For the summer of 2022, we also catered a rehearsal dinner for a wedding," Ava said. "During the summer of 2021, we bounced around town and were guests at several different breweries and also catered venues out at wineries, high school sporting events, etc. In 2022, we found consistency in one location, which was ideal for our customers." According to the Ava, this year "we have been expanding our menu to include more yummy Greek food!"

Ava hopes to play her final season of college basketball with the Bearcats in 2023-24 after missing all of this past season due to an injury. She has learned a lot on the court and in the classroom during her four years at Willamette. On the court, Kitchin averaged 9.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game in 2021-22. She also has learned a lot about running a business since the Kitchins opened The Mighty Greek.

"Co-owning the food truck has taught me many things," Ava noted. "At 20 years old, I was learning how to manage and oversee daily operations of a small business. My duties included hiring and training staff, making the schedule, sending out payroll, oversight with prep, and taking inventory daily of needs for the truck. I've also learned the importance of communication and marketing and about making a good impact on the community. From a young age, my mom always told us that when we go out into the community, we are representing ourselves, our faith, our family, and our business (pretty heavy Greek mom influence)."

There's a lot of work involved, especially for Carlene and Ava, who both have other responsibilities beyond the food truck. Maintaining the business and keeping the truck clean and functional are major projects, but the end result can be fun and rewarding. In addition, there is a sense of accomplishment created by providing a Greek food option within the Redmond community while honoring Ava's grandfather and his restaurant in California.

"I enjoy introducing Greek food to people in the community who have never tried it, as well as spreading my family's story and history," Ava said. "Every day brings new people and new conversations, and I look forward to engaging with people and learning the ins and outs of running a business. I'm so proud to carry on what my Papou started."