Giving back

When Noles won that lottery money — about $6,800 after state and federal taxes — his first thought wasn’t to buy a car or make a big purchase. His first thought was to give back.

Noles will be feeding the homeless and hungry on New Year’s Day at the Salvation Army in Gastonia.

“This is something I always wanted to do,” Noles said. “I always said if I ever came into a good sum of money that I’d give back.”

Noles learned to give back from his mother, Ruth, who died in 2007. She was always helping others and passed that giving spirit along to her children.

Noles called on his family to help put a plan into action. His sister, Carolyn Payne, and Nancy Price and girlfriend Kimberly are helping him organize the “Hope for a Hopeless Day” hot dog and hamburger lunch. Noles hopes to feed 150 people and provide gift bags with gloves, caps, scarves and other cold-weather gear to give out to each family.

Blair Noles is a hero.

A dollar left over from buying a gallon of milk has been multiplied and will soon feed 150 people — thanks to some luck and charity.

Blair Noles headed to his neighborhood convenience store to buy milk about three weeks ago. He and his girlfriend, Kimberly Huffstetler, had just gotten back from the Hellfighters Toy Run that gives toys to needy kids. They were planning to settle down with some hot chocolate but didn’t have any milk, so Noles headed to the Garrison Express Mart.

Noles used a $5 bill for the purchase and had $1.03 leftover. Figuring a person couldn’t buy much with a dollar, he told the clerk to give him a Powerball lottery ticket, letting the computer pick the numbers. He put the three pennies in the change cup at the counter.

Noles soon heard that someone had won $10,000 from the Dec. 11 Powerball drawing. He didn’t think the winner could be him. He hoped the winner was someone else he knew who could use the money, but Noles checked his ticket and saw that the numbers matched.

“Then I cried,” Noles said.

Noles lost his job as a parts manager for a NASCAR team two years ago. He tried to find work, but unsuccessful attempts gave way to feelings of despair.

“I lost faith for a while,” Noles said. “I really lost my faith.”

Noles thought others could also use some encouragement, so last spring he set up a Facebook page called “Hope for a Hopeless Day.”

The site is a place where others going through tough times can vent, ask for help and offer support. So far, 81 people “like” the site.

Giving back

When Noles won that lottery money — about $6,800 after state and federal taxes — his first thought wasn’t to buy a car or make a big purchase. His first thought was to give back.

Noles will be feeding the homeless and hungry on New Year’s Day at the Salvation Army in Gastonia.

“This is something I always wanted to do,” Noles said. “I always said if I ever came into a good sum of money that I’d give back.”

Noles learned to give back from his mother, Ruth, who died in 2007. She was always helping others and passed that giving spirit along to her children.

Noles called on his family to help put a plan into action. His sister, Carolyn Payne, and Nancy Price and girlfriend Kimberly are helping him organize the “Hope for a Hopeless Day” hot dog and hamburger lunch. Noles hopes to feed 150 people and provide gift bags with gloves, caps, scarves and other cold-weather gear to give out to each family.

Volunteers stepping up

“A lot of people have stepped up,” Noles said.

Solid Rock Fellowship and First Assembly of God are both helping with the effort. Noles said he has enough volunteers to work that day, but anyone who wants to help out can make a donation.

“God put him to work,” said Payne.

Noles wants to make the free lunch an annual tradition each New Year’s Day.

“You never know what God can turn a dollar into,” Noles said.

You can reach Amanda Memrick at 704-869-1839.

This is Human nature at its best. A man has been down on luck, but he knows that it is better to GIVE than receive.

Thank YOU Blair.