Like every mayor across America, Jeff Lillie would like to know when life will return to normal — even in small ways — in Earlham, Iowa, population 1,450.
Lillie, who works as a plumber when he isn’t taking care of Earlham city business, has watched as many in Earlham have been laid off or furloughed from their jobs during the covid-19 crisis, and he knows that many are struggling to pay the bills and keep their pantries full.
He told the Washington Post — “There’s a lot of hardship out there ― people are worried and hurting.”
But Something very good happened in Earlham recently. Lillie was heading into the office when his cellphone rang.
The unidentified person on the line told him he wanted to pump some money into the local economy and help make life a little easier for the citizens of Lillie’s town.
The man was thinking of buying 100 $50 gift cards giving them away to people in need.
By the time the call ended his generous offer grew to buying a total of 1,647 gift cards, at a total cost of $82,350, and then mailing three gift cards to every family in town so that each household would receive $150 in gift cards.
Lillie said, “I don’t believe ‘thank you’ is a big enough word. I can’t even describe the level of gratitude that I have for this person.”