Making a Difference
March 17, 2009
It seems like there’s nothing but bad news on TV.
Joe Works looks over newly made hitches at B&W Trailer Hitches in Humboldt, Kansas.
From the stock market tumbling almost daily to unemployment rising to families struggling to keep their homes. It’s just depressing. However, NBC Nightly News earlier this month decided to add a little bit of good news into the daily news.
Anchor Brian Williams started a new segment, “Making a Difference,” which every weekday evening highlights some of the good things people are doing during these tough economic times.
Monday evening, I was watching the news when Brian introduced “Making a Difference” and was surprised to hear how AQHA Corporate Partner B&W Trailer Hitches is giving back to its hometown of Humboldt, Kansas.
“Tonight we’re featuring a man who has decided to do more work even though his business has hit a slump. His story tonight from NBC’s Kevin Tibbles.”
The video that appeared next showed a man with a drill working on what appears to be a church. (The full report is below).
The report tells how B&W owner Joe Works is giving back to Humboldt even though his business is half of what it was. Instead of laying off workers whom Joe calls his friends, he sends them out to give churches a facelift, prune trees, spruce up playgrounds and refurbish baseball diamonds.
“I went through a lot of lean years, and I know what it’s like,” Joe told Kevin.
It was those lean years in 1987 that moved Joe in a different direction. Joe had fallen on hard times with the family farm. He decided to join his friend, Roger Baker, a classic car restorer, to build high-quality truck beds. The two later designed a hitch with a ball that could be pulled out, turned over and stowed beneath the bed.
The business grew by leaps and bounds until B&W became the largest employer in Humboldt, with 180 employees. And now that Joe is facing tough times, he is doing what he can for his “friends” and the community. So at full pay, Joe gives his workers new tasks to improve their little town.
“I’ve been blessed by a business that is successful and made some money,” Joe told Kevin. “I don’t want to hang onto that with a greedy attitude. I want to share.”
It’s that kind of attitude in times like these that makes you realize there are still cowboys out there wearing white hats and handing out silver bullets. To learn more about AQHA Corporate Partner B&W Trailer Hitches, visit the company’s Web Site, and if you need a new hitch, please consider buying one from Joe.
Tonya Ratliff-Garrison
Field Editor
American Quarter Horse Journal
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Comments
10 Comments on “Making a Difference”
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March 18th, 2009 at 6:40 am
I saw the story about this man on the nightly news on Monday and it touched my heart. This is the kind of story we need to be putting on TV. This man’s kind of unselfish attitude and action can be contagious. I’m sure I’m not the only one that felt that through his example, we can all find a way (be it small or big) to make a difference in our community. I don’t know much about trailer hitches, but I’m willing to buy one to show him my support.
Liz
March 19th, 2009 at 9:47 am
If more people has this kind of attitude our world would be a much different place.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
I too would buy a trailer hitch to support this man! I don’t need one right now, but my Dad always had a boat and a small trailer he used to haul trash to the dump with. But I might need one in the future! This man is what life and love is all about. The Bible says ‘We can’t outgive the Giver’, who is God. He will be blessed for this and God will give back to him for what he’s doing! I for one want to support him. How do I order one?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:06 am
I found this article after following a link from Flylady.
I live in South Africa, far away. Thank you for having something so positive to report, in such a negative time. I don’t know much about trailer hitches, and I’m not even in the same hemisphere, let alone the same country, all I can say is way to go, we need more people like you.
March 21st, 2009 at 7:57 am
What an uplifting story! We are always saying we are not about things, so lets prove it now that times are difficult. I bet there is more I could do.
March 26th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
God Bless this man for his generosity and love for his community and friends. It was on my list of things to buy this year for my truck, there was no doubt it would be a B & W Hitch because they are the best. I can tell you after this story, it will be sooner than later!!
What a great idea to do for a community project, I hope you don’t mind if we borrow this idea for our community project this year.
God Bless you and you friends!!! America is a much better place with you in it!! Thank You!!
March 29th, 2009 at 5:36 am
This story is an example of what our whole world could be like. Instead of destroying, or even ignoring our neighbors…….., anyone, of any religion or culture, could build up and encourage.
Love can happen, war and prejudice can stop. Thank you to this wonderful man and watch his business prosper!!
April 2nd, 2009 at 3:04 pm
This is an awesome person. We all need to give back. I will gladly buy a B& W hitch this spring for my truck. I wish more people were like this. This world would be a different place. I hope his business continues to prosper.
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