Westy’s & Winning
There is at least a decade-old debate in the West family about which of the parents hate to lose more. Mark will tell you it is Holly and Holly will tell you it is Mark. The kids go back and forth and will probably give a different answer each time you ask them. Either way, both Holly and Mark love Vince Lombardi’s quote that “winning is not everything; it’s the only thing.” That is one of the reasons we loved the Army so much and served for as long as we did. In the Professions of Arms, winning truly matters. There is no room for second place on the battlefield, so it was awesome and inspiring to be part of a culture where every day was focused on being the best you could be or, in other words, focused on being a winner.
Our affinity for winning rubbed off on our children at a young age and they became incredibly competitive in their own right. While raising our family, we did not condone a “win at all costs” mindset, but we also did not condone half-ass effort. Mark was raised that it is ok to love to win and hate to lose, but one should always be a gentleman about it. Because of this, our family eventually adopted the phrase “Wests are Winners.” This phrase is depicted by holding up both hands, palms facing outwards, and making the letter “W” with the first three fingers on both hands. When we attended competitions, musicals, or other events in which our children were participating, it was common for Mark or Holly to make the “Wests are Winners” sign to signal to the kids to do their best.
That leads us to the point of this blog, which is to convey to our readers that our “Wests are Winners” phrase now applies to more than just the immediate West family. Not long ago, we reached out to hundreds of classmates, alumni, and friends and asked for financial support to reach our goal of revitalizing Highland Falls with the building of Westy’s. In a few short months, over 100 people answered the call and earned the title of Westy’s Winner.
Now that the building capacity number of Westy’s has been met for our Westy’s Winners Grand Opening, goodie boxes have been mailed! All Westy’s Winners will receive a Golden Ticket for the opening event, along with some cool merch, a 10% Lifetime Discount card, a challenge coin, and other items. Most important is that every Westy’s Winner will have his or her name etched on the lid of a bourbon barrel where it will hang on the Westy’s Winners wall in the front bar area.
As the numbers grew over the past several weeks, we received comments and responses from several Westy’s Winners. We want to share some of these with you:
“I already feel more like a winner. My step has strut now and I am actually more handsome (which I did not think was even possible). I took that L off my forehead and replaced it with a W. Being a Westy’s Winner has changed my life.”
“I walked into my boss’s office and told her ‘I want a raise because I am a Westy’s Winner.’ That is how simple it is.”
“I got guys like Michael Jordan calling me wanting to hang out. I do not look in the mirror anymore and say, ‘what’s wrong with me?’ No, I look in the mirror and see someone who knows what he wants. I am the real deal now.”
“The world has been shown. Paparazzi have not left my front yard since I mailed the Westy’s check.”
“It has been a long journey and full of reflection and self-improvement. I am finally ready to embrace who I have always been…the walking exclamation point. The five-star general of finesse. And the upgrade you did not know you needed.”
And finally, “I did not ask for this. I simply looked in the mirror and realized I was the CEO of confidence, the thunder after the lightning. The cat’s pajamas. The big kahuna. The big ticket. The prime cut. The reason the lights are on. This is not about me; it is about destiny. I have main character energy. Can’t miss aura. Final boss vibes. Put simply, I am now a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The alpha and the omega. The storm they told you to prepare for. I am a Westy’s Winner.”
Holly and I are humbled by these comments and responses. Although there are no more Golden Tickets for the big Westy’s Winners Grand Opening, you can still be a Westy’s Winner and get your name on the Westy’s Winner wall, along with getting the other items that were included in the goodie box.
As always, thanks to EVERYONE for supporting this important endeavor! Always remember, BE A WINNER!
Mark and Holly West
Owners, Westy's
