The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Thanks A Million Is Worth Thousands To Area Readers

by Dessa Rodeffer,
Publisher/Editor

11 August1999

You just don't know how good something is until you quit using it, or it is taken away.

On the first of July the Quill, with much hesitation, discontinued the Percy Ross Thanks A Million column and opted to replace it with a community calendar.

We thought this feature might help more people in our area by keeping them in touch with the current events that were going on.

Even though most articles are turned into the newspaper, we felt organizing them in a brief calendar would help.

A few weeks ago we received an envelope from Mr. Ross, not with a letter, but with copies of envelopes and notes from people in our area in 1999. I was surprised about the amount of money some people had received.

Out of eight letters enclosed, six said they had been helped. Mr. Ross had enclosed just enough from their letters to let me know he had helped readers in our area. The enclosures were as follows:

A reader from La Harpe dated April 16th, had written, "Thanks so much for your $2,000. Mr. Ross! And thanks for being there. I really needed your help!"

A reader from Stronghurst had written in April, "We have been reading your articles and reading about you in the Henderson County Quill in Stronghurst, IL."

Another reader from La Harpe wrote "Thank you so much for your help! God Bless!"

A letter postmarked June 23rd from Smithshire said, "Thank you, Mr. Ross for the $2,500. You are indeed a very special person! God Bless you always!!"

A letter from Colchester postmarked June 26, Quincy, just said, "Thank you, Mr. Ross!"

A letter from Keithsburg dated April 12 said, "Thank you very much for the $2,100!"

A letter from Good Hope dated February 4 said, "Thanks for your help!"

Mr. Ross had assured me when I began carrying his column that he would definitely try to funnel money back to our readers as their needs show up.

He said when ever they would allow him, he would publish their responses, but the majority of people ask to keep in confidential.

Mr. Ross said his purpose was not to gain publicity, but to help those who truly needed a helping hand. That explains why he only sent enough of each letter to show the response without giving away the person's need.

He called on Monday to say that he missed the letters from our area. He does not keep the letters and he was lucky to find a few his help had saved. He said he has sent over $20,000 this year to our readers.

Mr. Ross said he couldn't always afford to give away his money to people in need. In fact, he couldn't pay his electricity bill at one time. In his column Ross gives advice, and often sends money to readers who are down on their luck and need help.

He says that sometimes he would go home crying and couldn't eat dinner.

Some need more than money to straighten out their problems, so he sometimes tries to counsel readers.

In 1963, Ross owned a business that produced garbage can liners and other plastic materials but began falling behind on bills. He and his wife and two sons pawned many of their possessions to make it through. Then the entire family got to work. His wife did bookkeeping and the boys worked in sales.

"Creditors gave us five years to pay off our debts, Ross said, "but we paid everybody in three years time." Later Ross sold the business in 1969 for $8 million.

The Ross family divided the $8 million four ways. Steven now 57, owns a business in Dallas, Texas. Larry now 52, owns a business in Minneapolis, Minn. Ross decided to spread his wealth around. He has invested and now has been giving away money for 25 years with his column running for 17 years.

Ross said his column has generated lots of mail. About 75 percent of the people he helps send him thank you notes or gifts. He received chocolate chip cookies from one. Of course, there are people who try to take advantage of his kindness. If someone requests a large amount he sometimes hires an attorney to investigate the person.

Ross says he makes decisions based on his "gut feeling" when people ask for $500 or less.

He was born in 1916 to immigrant parents who met in Minnesota at a Jewish community center. His father was a "peddler" who sold dry goods to farmers. He would sometimes bring fresh eggs back to his family. Ross's first business venture was to buy a crate of eggs from his father at 10 cents per dozen and sell them in his neighborhood for 12 or 13 cents per dozen. Ross says it was a bike he had been given by his father that inspired his yearning to help those in need.

His father had worked as a scrap-metal and junk collector. He had received the used old bike, fixed it up and was the laughing stock of the other kids. He told himself, when I get rich I will make sure kids will get a bike of their very own.

In 1977, Ross hosted a Christmas Eve party for 1,050 underprivileged children where he announced at the end that he had a bike for each child to call their very own. He received a call from Vice President Hubert Humphrey who had seen the event on national news. "Just to see the expression on the faces of those kids:there is nothing better in the world for a kid than to get a bike."

Humphrey then suggested that Ross write a column for the newspaper about giving. When he ended the conversation Humphrey added, "Thanks a million for being the kind of guy you are, Percy."

Ross never forgot those words. Six years later, and after Humphrey's death, Ross began his column, "Thanks A Million."

His philosophy for winning in life is simple:

"Get a job in an industry or business you think you will enjoy, then work hard.

"Get there 15 minutes before everybody else, and stay fifteen minutes later. You'll be noticed. Someday you will be manager, and then someday maybe you'll have enough money to start your own business.

"If you really like the business, get there 30 minutes before everybody else, stay 30 minutes later than everybody else, and then maybe someday you will own that business.

"You only get out of life what you put in it."

If you like the idea of the Thanks A Million column, call 309-924-1871 and tell us, or email us at quill@hcil.net or write The Quill, PO Box 149, Stronghurst, IL 61480. We will consider bringing this column back to you based on your response.