April Davenport said she has never received a letter quite like the one she opened recently. Davenport, who is the bookkeeper for Hartselle City Schools, said she was surprised by an anonymous letter and a donation sent in the mail. 

“Back when the high school was Morgan County High … I did something that always bothered my conscience,” the letter read. “Many days my parents did not have lunch money for me. My father was often unemployed due to the nature of the work he did and it never crossed (their) minds to apply for free lunches … I don’t know if that was an option back then. 

“I figured a way to bypass the lady who took up quarters for our lunch money. I ate many times without paying.” 

Enclosed in the letter was a $100 donation to Hartselle High School. The anonymous sender also wrote an apology and asked for the money to be used however the school deemed best. 

“Please accept my apology for taking so long to make this wrong I did right,” the letter concluded. “This should more than cover what I owe.” 

“Coming from a banking background, my initial thought was, ‘Who sends cash in the mail, and $100 at that?’” Davenport said. “Once I read the letter, my heart warmed instantly, knowing there are still good and honest people out there.”

Davenport said she hopes the sender, who signed the letter and donation, “An old grad,” no longer has a guilty conscience. 

“Even without the donation, I believe in my heart that they never had any ill intentions while bypassing the lady who took up quarters for lunch money,” she said. “They were just a hungry, growing child (who) was less fortunate at times.” 

Because the school now has options for students who rely on reduced or free lunches, Davenport said the thoughtful donation was put toward the HHS Heroes Club. 

“This club was started by a group of HHS students to be able to assist fellow students in financial crisis,” she said. “The donation will be put to good use in helping students that might be in similar situations as this genuinely good-hearted individual.”