After moving to Scottsboro, Alabama, at the beginning of this year, it didn't take long for Jackson Lounsbury to discover Payne's Soda Fountain, an ice cream shop that has been a staple in the small town since 1865.
Jackson soon made a habit of riding his bike over to the soda fountain most days after school to buy an ice cream cone with money he had made doing odd jobs for a family friend.
But his spending money soon ran out, and he began using coins from an old coin collection that he had been given.
The 7th grader with a strong craving for ice cream didn't consider the value of the coins he began to spend, but the owner of Payne's, Lisa Garrett, did. She didn't say anything to the boy at first but began to set aside the coins he used to pay for his afternoon treat.
A few weeks later, Jackson came in and was surprised to find that Lisa Garrett had a birthday present for him, with a note that read:
Happy 13th Birthday! Just wanted to give these back to you so you could do a little research. Also, when I was your age, my grandmother gave me almost the same coins, and I regretted forever spending them.
They are truly a treasure, and I think you should have them back. Next time you need to spend them, I want you to know their worth, and years from now, you may want to share them with your family.
Along with returning all of the coins that Jackson had spent on ice cream, Garrett wrote out information she found out in researching each coin and also included some coins and $2 bills from her own collection.
After receiving the unexpected gift, Jackson called his mom who happened to be with their family friend who had helped Jackson earn his ice cream money in the first place. The friend then posted in a community Facebook group praising the local business owner, where the story went viral.
He wrote in the group,
What an amazing testament to our small community, a local business and an amazing woman that took the time to touch the heart of a family. This family only recently moved a thousand miles to relocate to our small town. A safe place to start over. A place where people speak . . . where we help one another.
As for Jackson's mom, she says that people like Lisa Garrett have been a blessing to her and her two boys during a big transition in their lives, telling AL.com,
The wholesomeness and just the goodness and generosity of people in the South, I am overwhelmed. I love it. It's beautiful.
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