Many people in and around Gettysburg remember Roy Thomas. He was the founder of the SPCA, a business owner, volunteer, Mayor of Twin Oaks and Township Supervisor but to me he was Pappy.
My grandfather was always smiling; I never saw him angry or in a bad mood-he was the man who was always lifting others up and inspiring them. Since joining the Adams County Community Foundation last year, I have connected with people who were touched by his generosity during his lifetime, bringing me even closer to him.
With Father’s Day this weekend, our family will remember the man who gave so much of his time to his beloved Adams County. I want to share one of our family stories that inspires me.
The Gettysburg Rec Park has the red stagecoach that now sits prominently at the entrance to the park. My father played on that stagecoach as a kid, growing up in Colt Park. I played on that stagecoach as a kid and, not so long ago, my children played on it too. I’m sure that many readers have memories of their family on that red stagecoach. It’s become synonymous with the Rec Park; I look at it and remember those happy moments.
The story, as it was told to me, was that the stagecoach was in disrepair and was unsafe for children to use. The Park did not have money to spend on reconditioning and were contemplating retiring the stagecoach. So, they took out a classified ad in the Gettysburg Times to crowd source money for the repairs in a last-ditch effort to save it.
The very next morning, Roy was on the phone with a board member and told them he would pay for the repairs. He did not want something that was enjoyed by so many to ever go away from the community. He also told them he did not want to be recognized in any way.
That was the kind of man Roy was-someone who was humble, nurturing, and giving. He gave so much to our beloved Adams County and was recognized for his service over the years. This was just for him; this was a gift to a community that he loved so much.
Roy passed away in 2017, so it’s been different for our family when Father’s Day comes around. I make it a point to go somewhere and be in the places where he was and remember the man I still look up to. I don’t have to go far in Gettysburg to be in those spaces because that man was everywhere.
This is my request for my community this Father’s Day weekend; give your dads and grandfathers a hug, be together, and give back to your community. Make those days meaningful and memorable. Those moments that I spent with my grandfather are what inspired me to want to help others and make a better future for Adams County. Then, go have fun and play on that red stagecoach, send me your memories or pictures. I would love to share them at our Thomas Family Reunion so that we may remember the man who, through a small act of generosity, gave joy to so many.
Matt Thomas is Grants and Donor Services Officer at the Adams County Community Foundation. He can be reached at 717-337-0060 or Ma**@***********cf.org