When Russ Gremel was a young man, at the suggestion of his brother, he invested $1,000 in Walgreens stock. At that time, he had no foresight that many years later, this investment would lead to the establishment of the Gremel Wildlife Sanctuary in Illinois.
Russ Gremel led a contented and modest life. Born to parents of modest means, he grew up with sufficient resources but not excessive wealth. His father, who had lost all his money in the stock market, had instilled in Russ a sense of skepticism towards stocks, yet Russ took the risk and invested anyway.
As the Gremel family, like many other Americans, experienced the recovery from the stock market crisis, Russ grew up. He diligently worked, served in World War II, served in Washington DC during the Korean War, attended law school, and retired at the age of 45.
He never got married, nor had children, and he resided in the same house for his entire life. He was a Boy Scout and served as a Boy Scout Master for over 60 years. He led a content yet modest life, always living within his means and only acquiring what he needed.
Decades went by, and he didn’t give much consideration to his Walgreens stock as he never felt entitled to spend the money, considering he didn’t really earn it. When he discovered that the stock had grown in value to $2 million dollars, he reached out to the Audubon Society and expressed his desire to donate the funds to build a sanctuary.
As it turned out, the society had been eyeing a 400-acre property in Illinois. The donated funds allowed them to acquire it, and the property was subsequently named the Gremel Wildlife Sanctuary. It became a haven for 170 species of birds and rare turtles. The sanctuary now offers visitors a chance to witness the natural state of Illinois before it became industrialized.
Similar to numerous philanthropists, Russ lived long enough to witness the realization of the sanctuary, which brought him great joy. He expressed, “You have to use your wealth for good in this world. That’s what money is meant for.”
These words couldn’t be more accurate. Please share this inspirational story with your loved ones and friends.
Rewritten Source: https://dogdispatch.com/senior-millionaire-donates-all-his-money-to-build-wildlife-sanctuary/