WEST CARROLLTON — A local group is feeling the spirit of giving as we approach the holidays.
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The group, known as the “Breakfast Santas,” go to a new restaurant each year, eating breakfast and leaving a big surprise for the staff.
This year the group, mostly made up of business owners from all over the Miami Valley, went to Legacy Pancake House in West Carrollton for their annual act of giving.
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The group sat down for breakfast on Friday morning. It was business as usual for the staff until the bill came.
“We appreciate all that you’ve done today, so this group assembled a tip for you,” Brian Sharpe told the waitress. “It’s a little over $1,200 dollars.”
The waitress, Crystal Frantz, got emotional after receiving the gift. She’s worked at Legacy Pancake House for 10 years and said she’s still processing the whole thing.
As shown on News Center 7 at 5:30, Mason Fletcher caught up with Frantz after getting the gift and asked her what her reaction was.
“Shocked,” she said. “I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t want to cry. Grateful.”
Frantz said she’s planning to use the money to pay rent, but won’t be keeping all the money for herself.
“I already told my husband and the owner, and I’ll try to figure out who I should give this to,” she said.
Sharpe said the point of this annual tradition is making a difference in the communities he and the other members live in. He also said he thinks he gets more out of the act than the person receiving the gift.
“It’s amazing how you get placed in the right place at the right time, and that’s out of our hands.,” he said. “There’s a higher power than us making sure that happens. We just want to be the instrument.”
Sharpe added that he hopes others will follow in their footsteps, even if it’s on a smaller scale.
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