How Richard Balances his Job, his Family, his Faith and his Passion. 

In this day and age it is becoming more and more rare to be blessed with never having to move more than 5 miles from the home you were born in.

Meet Richard Caudill. 

Richard is a passionate warehouse worker at Samaritan’s Purse, a man of faith, a preacher at a Baptist church, and a family man. A lover of Duradero boots. Richard was one of Duradero's first customers. He has been a big supporter of Duradero. In this customer spotlight, I sat with Richard and learned a bit more about him and his story. 

Richard’s passion for his job and his perspective is inspirational. He inspired me and I'm sure he'd do the same to you too. 

The rarity of growing up in a community and never living more than 5 miles away from there is the least interesting thing about Richard. 

At this point, If you ask me, I’ll say you read on because you don't want to miss this. 

How did you discover Duradero? 

I discovered Duradero on Facebook. I was intrigued by the video of how you guys got together and the Twice the Life. I got my first pair and I have been happy ever since. 

Where did you grow up? 

I grew up in North Carolina, Wilkes County. Lived here in the same county all my life, never lived more than 5 miles from the home I grew up in. 

Can you tell us about your early career and how you came to work with Samaritan’s Purse?

Most of my career has been in warehouse work. I worked for Lowe’s company warehouse for 29 years. I started working for Samaritan’s Purse after they built a warehouse here in North Wilkesboro; a friend reached out to me about the open role. I am also an interim Pastor of Union Baptist church and it was very special for me to be able to come work in a Christian organization. 

Helping people and mission work is very dear to my heart. Here I can use my experience in warehouse work for Samaritan’s Purse and helping others all over the world. 

What does Samaritan’s Purse do? 

A lot of people think it’s just about Operation Christmas Child and shoe boxes, but they do so much more. Like the World Medical Missions. 

Samaritan’s Purse helps areas affected by flooding, hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes. In dangerous situations, they set up field hospitals and deploy doctors and volunteers to provide help. They send medical supplies and equipment to appropriate hospitals and other countries where they are needed.  It’s amazing the work they do. 

What does a day in your life typically look like?

My wife and I work together at Samaritan’s Purse, so we drive to work together. As far as my daily activities, I’m a very family guy. So, I spend a lot of time with my granddaughters.

At work, some days are laid back while some are hectic. Usually, I operate a forklift a lot, we load products that come in, and we do inventory, and cycle counts in the warehouse. We never really know what the day is gonna hold, it depends on the disasters or whatever is happening across the country.     

What is the most exciting part of your day?

Moments when the opportunity presents itself to tell others about my faith. We have all types of people who come in and are having a bad day, and I get the chance to talk to them and try to make their day better. 

Also, I work with a wonderful group, and it's exciting. I look at the boxes in the warehouse containing things going to help someone and I get into the mindset of what we are doing, instead of just handling boxes, we’re handling life-saving equipment or just something that could brighten a child’s day. That excites me. 

Were there any skills or certifications you had to get? 

There are various types of forklifts to drive and you have to be certified on each one. We are also CPR trained. At Lowe’s, I was trained on the AED.  

I’m actually on the safety committee here at work, there are certifications you must obtain, and try to be as safe and mindful as you can. 

What challenges come with your job and how do you overcome them? 

You don’t really know how much product is going to be coming in every day because we don’t schedule appointments. That can become a challenge, we not only receive things but also ship them out.  

I guess the unknown can be the challenge we face. To deal with it, we use experience, coming together as a team, and the Lord’s help to make it happen. Experience plays a huge role in handling it. 

What advice would you give someone considering doing what you do? 

Warehouse environment is not for everyone because it’s very demanding on your back and physical body. But someone has to do it. Like I say, I must enjoy it because I’ve been doing it for a long, long time. 

My advice is to pray about it and be prepared because you are in all types of environments and situations in a warehouse. 

What boots do you wear to get your job done? 

I wear the 6-inch Moc toe Boot. The best work boot for a warehouse worker. They are extremely comfortable after the break-in time. I’m on concrete all day and usually put them on first thing in the morning Monday through Friday. I wear them occasionally on Saturday. They don’t come off my feet until it’s time to get ready for bed.