Zach Lee is a Cullman native who volunteers on several local boards and participates in many charitable efforts.
He started his education in Cullman City Schools, but transferred to Vinemont around middle school and went on to graduate from Vinemont High School.
He said his favorite thing about Cullman is the community and how people are quick to help one another out.
In an interview with The Tribune, he shared, “When there is a need, we join in and help each other. Even when people don’t ask, we’re good about donating out time. It doesn’t have to be monetary value, just time.”
Roughly seven years ago Lee became a volunteer board member of the Pilot Light Home, a foster and emergency care facility licensed by the Department of Human Resources. It helps children who are abused, neglected, abandoned or without other forms of parental care.
Lee said this was the first board he was part of and it made him realize, “I can do more for the community and be a part of something bigger.”
He found himself gravitating toward those who struggled through financial insecurity and life burdens. Helping them through harder times inspired him to continue with similar work and involvement.
He has been a part of several boards since. In addition to Pilot Light Home he was also a part of the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce and helped with Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism activities.
He is currently chairman of the Cullman City Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals, vice chairperson at the Cullman Housing Authority and board member for the Good Samaritan Health Clinic in Cullman.
Lee has been an operations manager at Lowe’s since March 2004.
When asked what he does to relax when he isn’t working, he replied, “My relaxation is when I’m on the boards and putting in work. My downtime is 50 hours a week at my job and I’m serving the community. Or even going and helping a neighbor.”
He bragged about his daughter, Kayleigh Lee, for pursuing nursing and recently graduating from Wallace State Nursing School.
A good day to Lee is putting in the work to give back. Whether it’s for friends, family, neighbors or someone he’s never met. “I’m always finding myself trying to serve my neighbor and give back. I’ve never met a stranger,” he remarked.
He and his wife, Jessica Lee, enjoy thrifting and it normally ends up with him striking up conversations with numerous people.
He explained, “When we go out I have to talk to everybody.”
When he isn’t browsing thrift stores, he enjoys cooking at home.
“I’m a big foodie!” Lee said enthusiastically.
He enjoys trying new recipes and cooking food to serve his friends or family, but his favorite food is Mexican.
“I also make an excellent chicken and steak taco,” he smiled.
While he enjoys making good food for those closest to him he reiterated that the best part is seeing those there to share the meal with him “tear it up.”
His favorite movie could not be narrowed down to anything specific. He said, “I love anything scary or within the horror genre.”
He works on Halloween props when he isn’t managing his bonsai trees or working on cars with friends.
Halloween is also his favorite holiday. He and his family participate in Nightmare on Woodland Street every year and have for 17 years. They will also be attending a horror-con in Tennessee toward the end of August.
Though this doesn’t stop Chair Peggy Harris of the Pilot Light Home Board from appointing him as Santa Claus every year.
“I told her, ‘You’ve got the wrong guy,’” he laughed.
A lot of Lee’s motivations are credited to his mother. He reminisced that when growing up, she never let him or his family see or know of any hardship.
“She just made it happen,” he said.
He also credited the community that gathered around him as his mother struggled with health complications years ago.
“In the five to seven or so years my mother had gotten really sick, and I guess it was almost a coping mechanism, but giving back and serving was filling an emotional void,” Lee explained.
“The more I was giving back to the community, I was receiving double of what I gave out in love, support and emotion.”
Lee said that at the end of the day, contributing to the community doesn’t require being on any board or committee.
“If you want to get involved and be a better human being then that’s your right as a human being. If you really want to get involved, you can do it and be a good person,” he said. “If it’s your neighbor or it’s a person at the gas station – it’s everywhere. You choose your day to day and if you’re going to be a good person or not. Do we fail? Sure. We fail. I fail a lot more than I succeed somedays, but it’s those days where we can be a good human being that keeps us rollin’ and keeps it movin’ forward.”
