For a single mother doing three jobs to make ends meet, receiving $1000 as a tip would literally blow her socks off, and that’s what happened with a single mom in Brown County.
Anna Hofstetter works as a bartender at Hotel Nashville, and was serving a couple who were staying at the hotel, to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
There were few customers at the hotel that Saturday night, when she was attending to the couple, and started chatting with them about herself and her kids and how she has to work three jobs to support them.
The couple were seated at a little table near the door, and they mentioned to her that they had got married at the same hotel seven years ago.
They ordered the long island iced teas, then crab artichoke appetizers and finally the dinner special. Hofstetter gave them their cheque which came out to be $32.40, but when she saw the receipt, she noted with surprise that they had written $1,000 in the tip column along with a message saying, keep something for the kids as well.
She felt overwhelmed by their kind gesture and thanked them profusely and told them that they have no idea what this meant for her and her family.
There were many ways Hofstetter could have used the money, for her kid’s birthdays, college fund, pay off student loans, shopping. But, she had another idea, when she met Clara Stanley, who along with another group of kids were collecting money so that they could build a skate and teen park in the Deer Run Park, Brown County. The plan is awaiting approval from the county and a group called ‘Kids on Wheels’ has been formed by the kids to raise funds.
Stanley who is the President of Brown County Enrichment for Teens Association Inc. or BETA says that there was a need for a place for children to have recreation in Brown County and adds that Hofstetter’s donation of $1000 would really make a big impact.
Hofstetter says her gift is not only for her kids, but also for kids in the community, Kids on Wheels has raised $25,000 for the park but the goal is $120,000. With some help from state grants, and if they manage to get donations of $50,000 before September 22, then the state would give a matching grant of $50,000 towards the building of the park.