To tell this story properly, I need to give you a little background. It all started 6 months ago when I received an anonymous group text. “Can we do lunch next Wednesday?” My first thought was to simply delete the text, because I didn’t recognize the number of the person sending the text message. Then I considered letting them know they included me in a text meant for someone else. But since I have no life, I decided to let them include me in the responses. I mean, after all, I needed to know who was going to be able to make it, and where they were going to lunch. Like I said, I have no life.
When the rest of the group started to respond, one of them was a salesman I worked with at John Deere. I found out the message I received was from another salesman that previously worked at John Deere. It was his new cell phone number, so that’s why I didn’t recognize it. It seems they were a group of previous John Deere employees that were getting together on occasion to catch up with each other. We’ve gotten together a few times now, and it’s been great to catch up with some old friends.
About a month ago, we met at Papa Tom’s for lunch, and I brought a copy of my book to give everyone. When they asked me how much it was I told them I wanted to give it to them for free. “If you do want to do pay something, you can donate it to the Foundation.” I told them. Everyone contributed way more than the book sells for, and the funds were used to purchase gas cards. I am extremely lucky to have worked with such great, generous people.
Larry Lovell is one of the group, and he’s the Mayor of Ririe. He asked me if he could have another book and told me they City of Ririe would hold a fund raiser and donate the money raised to the Foundation. I was happy to send three books and a couple of SWF t-shirts with him. “This means so much to me to have you do this,” I told him. He replied he was happy to be able to help anyway he could.
I must admit, I had forgotten about the fundraiser until I got an email from a Ririe city council member Sharon Parry. She informed me they had raised almost $400 for the foundation. I was astonished to think they raised that much money from 3 books and 2 t-shirts. I want to thank again, Steve & Sharon Parry, Boyd Foster, Mike Smith, Darin Nord, and my great friends from Mountain River Ranch Mike & Julie Anglesey for their generous contribution. I also need to thank Mayor Lovell, the Ririe Chamber of Commerce, and the Ririe City Council for the great work and generosity.
When I first talked with Larry about this, I made him a promise. I told him the money they raise would go to cancer patients from the Ririe area. I’m happy to say with the help of Teton Cancer Institute we fulfilled that promise. I am a firm believer that the money raised in a community, needs to be used to help members of that community.
It’s rewarding to know the majority of our citizens are as compassionate and generous as the community of Ririe. I am blessed to call them my friends and I know my Angel Shannon is grateful as well. I will always LOVE AND MISS YOU sweetheart.
Next week: TCI speech
P.S. I’m available for other lunch dates. Just send me an anonymous text.