“Levi, my wife and I have raised our Granddaughter who is getting married. Will you please give us a $1000 for her to buy a trousseau?”

Little old me just learned a new word, TROUSSEAU, meaning a bride’s new clothes.

That was my father’s long time friend Henry Dickerson calling from his home in Cleveland Ohio. This man, when he was the Mt Victory Bank President, had loaned money to my father at the tender age of 19 and on through several years following.

AND SO OF COURSE………….my Father drove from west central Ohio to Cleveland to hand deliver a $1000 check to this long time wonderful friend! The year was 1934 when $1000 was a lot of money.

When he returned, my father came walking in the house where I lived and with a big smile handed me a large card board box Henry Dickerson’s Granddaughter had sent for me.

WOW!!! That big box was full of the most beautiful clothes this 7th grader had ever seen. Henry Dickerson’s Granddaughter’s hand-me-downs she was passing on to me! I WAS TRULY THRILLED from the top of my head all the way down to the end of my toes!!!

They were a little large for me but that presented no problem as I cut them down to fit me, sewed them back up and……VIOLA ….. I had a new beautiful dress to proudly wear to church.

Being the only one in my family who attended church, only a few people made me feel welcome. How-some-ever you see, from the time I was five years old, the few friendships I had made in the church added much to my life. So from the tender age of five I continued to attend many church functions through my growing up years.

So…here I am sporting a beautiful yellow silk dress with white silk trimming and as I am walking out of the church, a kindly lady came over to me and softly, so no one else could hear, said “Touch up the sleeves with another hem to get a more finished look”.

The following Sunday, having made the suggested changes, I am back in church wearing the same dress and get a warm smile of approval from my friend.

This wonderful lady was MRS ALMA BOMELI. It is only a coincidence, but ALMA IS MY MIDDLE NAME! From the time I was five years old and first started attending this church, this lovely kind hearted lady had always gone out of her way to make me feel welcome.

Throughout his life my father gave to many people and when they ask, “What can I do for you?” He would say “You do something for someone else and if they in turn do something for someone else, we can keep a good thing going on and on and on and…………………………….

My father was way ahead of the movie “Pay It Forward” where the little boy dreamed up the idea that a person should do something for 3 people, those 3 people each do something for three people, that would make 9 people and on and on ……..

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MAKING HEARTS WARM AROUND THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FRF ♥