PEORIA HEIGHTS, Ill. (25 News) – A long-time customer showed incredible generosity to the employees of Schooners in Peoria Heights.
The anonymous customer gave each of the 30 employees a $1,000 check in memory of his late wife and daughter. The customer and his wife came every Thursday and Sunday for more than 10 years.
“Honestly, the first thing that came to my mind is like that’s too much,” Schooners Vice President Brad Gebhards said when asked about the phone call from the customer. “I don’t know what’s going on, but please don’t give everything to us.”
Gebhards said the customer wanted to remain anonymous, but Gerbhards wouldn’t allow it. The vice president organized a special meeting for all of his employees, without telling them about the donation.
Gebhards said the customer gave a speech, describing his love for the memories he made with his wife at Schooners. He then handed a check to each of the employees.
“You can see he came here to be around people,” one of the cooks named Earl said. “I love him.”
“I can’t believe that somebody is this kind. Like, you don’t see a lot of that. He’s just the most generous person,” server Stacey Stoecher said. “Moved to tears is an understatement. Everybody was a balling mess here.”
Gebhards said the donor wasn’t rich, and he didn’t have a fancy car or house. He said the customer donated the money because he felt at home, even when the love of his life couldn’t sit across from him anymore.
“A good deed is usually done when you’re not telling everyone you’re doing it. So, that’s why he wanted to remain anonymous. Everything he donated was in his daughter’s and wife’s names,” Gebhards said.
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