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DAYTON – Kmart stores across the region report that anonymous donors are paying off the remaining balances of layaway accounts of strangers in a showing of holiday generosity.
Kmart store managers in Trotwood, Fairborn, Beavercreek and Riverside said unknown visitors are acting as secret Santas and spending hundreds of dollars to cover the layaway bills of complete strangers, especially people who are late on their payments and who are in danger of having their orders canceled.
Most of the donors also look to pay off come-due or past-due layaway accounts that contain toys or gifts, hoping to prevent some area families from having an empty space beneath their Christmas trees.
“They are looking for layaways with children’s clothing in it and toys in it to try to help out families that might be in need,” said Ron Monmaney, store manager of the Kmart in Riverside. “It must be the season.”
On Saturday, two unknown individuals spent more than $1,000 at the Riverside Kmart to pay off the layaway accounts of six strangers. Monmaney said the customers were “elated” to find out their orders were paid off, and they were touched by the gesture.
On at least five occasions in the last two weeks, unknown individuals walked up to the layaway counter at the Kmart in Beavercreek and paid for the accounts of strangers who were late on their payments or who were struggling to make them, said Jerry Campana, the store’s manager. He estimates the mysterious Good Samaritans spent at least $800.
“I think it’s truly amazing,” Campana said. “The best part of it is they are not doing it for any kind of recognition ... they are just going out and doing it out of the goodness of their hearts and for people they don’t even know.”
The random acts of kindness started earlier this month at Kmarts in Michigan, but stories of the activity spread through news coverage and online, and it is now taking place all over Ohio and the country.
At the Kmart in Englewood on Saturday, somebody spent about $120 to pay off a stranger’s layaway bill after identifying one that featured toys. Three days earlier, somebody spent about $700 at the store to take care of the layaway items of five strangers.
“They are helping out kids,” said Gary Venenga, store manager.
At the Kmart in Fairborn, a customer who was at the layaway counter was surprised when the person behind them in line paid off their balance, said Kent Boze, the store’s manager.
“They took care of it, and went on their way,” he said. “It’s fantastic.”
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