A well-known businessman received an award for his philanthropy. During the ceremony honoring his good works, he was asked to share some of the lessons he had learned throughout his life and career that inspired him to think of others.
He spoke of his childhood and the poverty his family endured in the rural South. "No matter how tough times were, my grandmother was always looking to help anyone she felt was in need.
"One day, a neighbor came to our kitchen door and told my grandmother he was hungry and hadn't eaten in days. She invited him in and served him a good portion of what she had been preparing for our supper. When the man left, I asked my grandmother why she was always feeding other people when there was barely enough for us to eat.
"My grandmother said, 'The only thing that matters in life is giving and serving. That's the most important lesson you need to learn.' "
The businessman went on to tell how he took his grandmother's words to heart. Throughout his life and career, he made sure to share his wisdom and good fortune with others and include them in his successes as well. That sterling example defines the essence of the annual Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. I recently returned from the Horatio Alger Awards in Washington, D.C., where we inducted 13 new members and handed out $21 million in need-based scholarships to 2,500 deserving students. Those annual gifts total $159 million since 1984.
Founded in 1947, the association is dedicated to the simple-but-powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. It honors the outstanding leaders who have achieved remarkable successes despite adversity. Horatio Alger members and friends award scholarships to students with critical financial need who have exhibited the same qualities as members.
Past honorees include three U.S. presidents — Eisenhower, Ford and Reagan — plus Colin Powell, Mario Cuomo, Bob Hope, Oprah Winfrey, entrepreneur Wayne Huizenga, astronaut Chuck Yeager, Carol Burnett and leaders in various fields. Members are always sworn in at the U.S. Supreme Court.
The association bears the name of the renowned author Horatio Alger Jr., who wrote more than 100 novels about rags-to-riches stories in which the heroes overcame adversity through education and the help of role models. The association was founded to combat a growing attitude among young people that economic opportunity was a thing of the past. The association strives to motivate and educate our nation's young people about the economic and personal opportunities afforded them by the promise of the American free enterprise system.
