Woman who lost money gets $1,125 anonymously

Gwin Ballard hopes to one day return a favor of kindness.

After Ballard lost $612 from her back pocket two weeks ago, The Herald made a plea to the public in hopes of finding the money from her college grant check. The single mother of two, who relies on the money for living expenses while studying accounting at North Idaho College, has since received two anonymous donations. One was for $1,000 and another was for $125.

“I can’t wait until I can be in the position to do it for someone else and I can pay it forward,” Ballard said. “It’s important if someone does something good for you to pass it down the line.”

The 33-year-old stopped by The Herald office on Sept. 8, hoping that someone here had heard something about finding the money she’d lost a few days earlier. Ballard cashed her grant check and stuffed the money in her pocket. She noticed it was missing when someone told her that her driver’s license had fallen from her pocket.

She planned to use the money to make her house payment, pay her electric bill, and buy groceries and gas for driving to Coeur d’Alene for school.

One day after the article ran, a woman called The Herald office offering a $1,000 donation. She wished to remain anonymous.

“It makes me feel real thankful. It’s a reminder of what an awesome place we live,” said Ballard, who three years ago was forced to change careers after getting her arm caught in a piece of machinery while working at a local manufacturer.

“God meant for this to happen to me — this losing the ability to use this arm has enabled me to go back to school,” she continued. “I didn’t have a GED (before the accident).”

The $125 was sent to Ballard with “a really, really sweet card.”