Lincoln man finds a ‘cool’ way to pay it forward

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By ERIN ANDERSEN/Lincoln Journal Star

Tom Artz was eating lunch in front of the TV when the news camera panned to an old woman sitting in the sweltering heat.  Behind her, a sign sent out the plea: Donate fans.

The woman made him think of his grandmother — a wise old lady who was always using sayings to impart words of wisdom:

It’s not the things you have that is important, it is making other people happy.

Careful when you point a finger, because there are three pointing right back at you.

And, as often happens, Artz remembered the kindly old farmer who in 1974 put a pair of coveralls over his Sunday best suit and pulled Artz’s car out of a snowbank.

Artz offered him $20 for the effort.

The man refused his money and instead told the 21-year-old Artz to help someone else during a time of difficulty.

You’ll understand some day, the old man told him.

Now, nearly every time Artz sees someone struggling, he knows “I gotta go help them,” he said.

“I saw that lady and thought, ‘Nobody should be out there’,” Artz said of the heat.

But the woman on the news lived someplace far from Lincoln. Artz, owner of Artz and Sons Construction, contacted The Salvation Army in Lincoln and said he wanted to buy some fans for families without air conditioning, especially those who are elderly, disabled or have infants, said Leta Powell Drake, director of development and community relations for The Salvation Army.

Then he went to Wal-Mart.

“They gave me a deal,” Artz said.

So he bought 500 three-speed box fans. When he mentioned his purchase to Lincoln automobile dealers Mike Anderson of Anderson Ford and Tim Pieper of Sid Dillon Auto Sales, the men added another 100 fans each.

Tonn and Holly Ostergard of Crete Carriers provided a tractor-trailer to transport all 700 fans to  The Salvation Army Community Center at 2625 Potter St.

That first day, nearly 90 fans went out the door, Artz said.

To date, 400 have been distributed. The fans are free to qualifying families.

Artz doesn’t want attention for his deed.

“I just did it,” he said.

 And he’ll keep on paying it forward — in honor of the old farmer and his grandmother.

“My grandmother was a cool lady.”

Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com.