A
small-town Vermont janitor shocked his community by leaving behind millions for
the common good.
When you get fed up with all the greed and narcissism that seems
to rule our country, a good way to restore your faith in humankind is to
reflect on the generosity of people like Ron Read —
a philanthropist from Dummerston, Vermont.
Read was no splashy, self-celebrating, David Koch-Michael
Dell-Richard DeVos type. He’s not the kind of guy whose “altruism” depends on
how prominently his name gets displayed on the facilities he endows.
In fact, no one in Dummerston had a clue that Ronald James Read
was a man of wealth, much less a benefactor, until he died at age 92.
Known around town as Ron, he was a quiet, hard-working, and
well-liked fellow who spent 25 years as a gas station employee, then 17 more as
a janitor at the local JCPenney store.
He drove a second-hand Yaris, gathered downed limbs for
firewood, held his well-worn coat together with safety pins, and hated seeing
anything go to waste.
Turns out, he was very, very good at it.
This February, local folks were astonished and delighted to
learn that their modest neighbor had bequeathed $1.2 million to their library —
the largest gift in its 129 years, doubling its endowment. He also gave $4.8
million to the area’s hospital, the largest bequest it ever received.
He didn’t even wait around for a public thank you, much less
demand that he get tax write-offs and have his name engraved on the library
façade. Ron Read was an exemplary philanthropist — a genuine altruist who
invested in the future of the common good.
OtherWords
columnist Jim Hightower is a radio commentator, writer, and public speaker.
He’s also editor of the populist newsletter, The Hightower Lowdown. OtherWords.org.