| Associated Press |
| Published December 21, 2004 |
ANTHON, Iowa -- Home and business owners in this northwest Iowa town of 650 people were a little shocked at the Christmas gift they got from retired farmer Richard Hamann and his wife, Donna.
The Hamanns doled out $25,000 to pay the town's electricity bills - all due on Dec. 25.
Hamann, 75, sees the gift as returning a good deed.
``The Lord has been very good to us and so have the people of this community, so I always thought we ought to be doing something in return if we could,'' he said Monday.
Residents said they were surprised and grateful.
``I just thought it was great,'' said Beulah Sands, 64, a clerk at a local convenience store. ``I haven't talked to anyone who didn't appreciate it. It was a wonderful thing for him to do.''
Sands said the Hamanns' gift saved her more than $50.
A stack of thank you cards and letters sits in a bundle on Richard Hamann's desk in an office at his home.
One letter came from Joyce Sevening, who wrote that her sister, Fay Miller, is an Anthon resident who has been in poor health in recent months. She said news of the gift brought a tear to her eye.
``It makes me proud that such people as you exist in small towns in Iowa,'' wrote Sevening, who provided no return address. ``It makes me feel good that someone would go out of their way to help another in any way possible.''
© Copyright 2004 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
5 comments:
ohhh, I do hate him. I was shaking my fist angrily at the screen as I read the story.
HOW DARE HE! Doesn't he know that anyone who needs help should go to the government, stand in line, be sent to another line, be handed 19 forms to fill out, fill them out, get back in line, be told those are the wrong forms, get the right ones, fill them out, get back in line, be sent to a different line, stand there, be sent to a different building, get fed up and go home to find out the lights have been off since 5 minutes after you left to stand in line.
Nice story!
Merry Christmas to STCA and Everybody at Something to Cry About.
Ghost Dansing
What a truly wonderful couple these two people are! How utterly unselfish and caring of their fellow citizens. The Hamanns are the kind of people who makes this country great!
Gayle
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