Dear Editor,

The callous, uniformed Letter to the Editor printed in The Ledger Independent Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 appeared to contain in each paragraph the utmost biased opinion of the author.

I have known this ‘well-to-do businessman’ most of my life and like many of us who grew up in the 1950s, he started his young, married life with very little.

Through hard work, sometimes holding two or three jobs at a time, determination and a good business mind he managed to raise eight children and become successful in his business.

Achieving his success to him meant that he had been blessed. Because he felt that he had been blessed, he wanted to give back to the community.

This ‘well-to-do businessman’ has much history of making charitable donations and most were made anonymously, as was the one referenced in the letter. The recipients most often were the ones to reveal the owner.

I hope not to offend him by naming some of his charitable donations, but I feel it is warranted.

The author’s question (and implied assertion), ‘why a well-to-do businessman with no history of making charitable donations choose to do so now?’ — is very much in error. Here are the facts:

He has given multiple donations to St. Patrick Church and School, along with the donation mentioned in the letter, St. James Church Minerva, St. James Church Brooksville, Bracken County EMS, Free Pod Store in Brooksville, St. Augustine School in Augusta, multiple scholarships given in memory of his deceased daughter to area schools and a major supporter of the Youth Livestock Sales at the Germantown Fair.

I could go on, but for the sake of space I will stop with his donations, ones that were made when they were most needed. The opinion that his donations was made to buy votes holds no credence.

This opinion is only another smear tactic against someone’s family member because they have chosen to run for office. Would it not be a much better world. if we had more people like this donor, who has chosen to give back to his community?

God bless this donor, and God bless America.

Respectfully yours,

Tony Wenz, Former Sheriff of Mason County