Dear Missoula’s Mystery Tipper: Thank You

Dear Mr. Big Tipper, sometimes awkwardly,

Thank you. 

Seriously. Thank you for doing what you're doing around Missoula. 

I've seen plenty of videos and social media trends where people help other people, sometimes making a big production out of it. Sometimes it's about the act of helping, and sometimes it seems like it's also about getting the attention that comes with it. 

Authenticity in Community Giving

What you're doing seems a little different. 

You're keeping things pretty incognito, and I think that's pretty awesome. 

Generosity Behind the Scenes

I started following you, johndegalopizzeria, on TikTok after seeing some of your videos, and apparently I'm now one of your 5,500 followers. I've watched quite a few of your videos, and I've seen you helping people all over Missoula. 

I've seen you tip people at McDonald's. 

I've seen you handing out tips at Southgate Mall. 

I've seen you walk into the Dollar Tree and give the cashier $300 to cover the purchases of everyone in line. 

I saw you give a stack of cash to the person who cleans Southgate Mall.

I've seen you tip at Baskin-Robbins and Florence Coffee Company, when they didn't even know it was happening.  

That's pretty amazing. 

What I really appreciate is that you're not just looking for people who are down on their luck. You're helping people who are working. 

People who are showing up. 

People who are putting in the hours. 

People who are doing their jobs and working hard every day. 

 Respecting Privacy While Making a Difference

Some of the people you've helped obviously don't want to be on camera, and you've respected that by blurring their faces. 

As for you, we don't know much about you. 

We don't know your name. We don't know exactly what you do. We don't know how much money you have or how long you're planning to keep this going. 

We know that you seem to have the means to give, and you genuinely want to give some of it away.

I've seen plenty of videos from bigger cities where people are helping others. It's always cool to see. 

READ MORE: Montana Manners: Unwritten Rules From Locals Revealed

It's even cooler to see somebody doing it right here in our little community. 

Missoula. 

I hope you keep doing it. 

I hope you keep giving when you can. 

I hope you keep making somebody's day a little better. 

Maybe it's someone with a stack of bills sitting on the kitchen counter. Maybe it's somebody who just worked an eight- or 10-hour shift. Maybe it's somebody who wasn't expecting anything other than a normal day at work. 

The Ripple Effect of Giving

Then you show up. 

For just a few minutes, you give somebody a little relief. 

You give them something to smile about. 

You remind them that somebody noticed them. 

I don't know how long this will continue. None of us do. 

But I do know there are people around Missoula who appreciate what you're doing. 

There are people who see the generosity you're showing to hardworking people in our community. 

Thank You for Making a Difference

So, from one person who likes to give when he can to another person who obviously has the means to give a little more: 

Thank you. 

READ MORE: 31 Years of Giving: Missoula’s Guerrilla Turkey Drive Continues Its Mission

Thank you for giving. 

Thank you for keeping it relatively quiet. 

Thank you for making people's days a little brighter. 

Most of all, thank you for reminding us that sometimes doing something good for somebody doesn't have to be about getting something in return. 

Sincerely, 

Chris Wolfe