Davenport, IOWA - Kathi Fox takes the same route to and from work every morning and every evening.
"I take it because of Vern," she explained.
Sitting on his front porch on the corner of 15th Street and Gaines Street in Davenport, Vern Carpenter knows almost every car - and driver - that goes by.
"I can tell you from 7:00-8:00am who's coming by and what time," said Vern.
What he doesn't know is the surprise he's about to get from Kathi on his birthday.
"On behalf of WQAD News 8 and Ascentra Credit Union, I'm presenting you with $300," she said as she gave Vern three $100 bills and a big hug.
For Vern, it's a shock... but only because for his off-road welcome, he never expects anything in return.
"It's not about me," he said. "It's about these people and I don't want to be on TV. I don't want to. It's just - I call it me and my Gaines Street family. We just go at it every day - been doing it for years so I've known people for 20 years or so."
"He just starts my day on the right note and he ends my day on a good note, too," added Kathi. "Even if I had a bad day, it's all over because Vern made it better."
"I read the paper every day," said Vern. "I'm watching the news and see all the terrible things going on and then I sit out here and interact and you see people come by and it makes you realize there's still some beautiful people out in this world."
Vern is definitely one of them. With the help of Kathi and those who make Vern part of their day - twice a day - WQAD News 8 and Ascentra Credit Union is happy to pay it forward for something so priceless.
"It don't cost nothing for a smile or a wave," explained Vern. "It's free. Sometimes people be down and they see you and it brings a smile to their face and it makes everybody's day just a little bit better."
"It's really nice to see people just out of the kindness of their heart doing something to make somebody smile and Vern has been doing that for so many years for everybody who passes down Gaines Street," said Alvaro Macias, Community Development Coordinator for Ascentra Credit Union. "He's a true example of listening, caring, doing what's right - the core values at Ascentra Credit Union."
If you know someone doing great things in the community, consider nominating them for the Pay It Forward Program by clicking here.