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Since Princess Auto arrived in Windsor in 2006, Guests have sought the advice from the friendly go-to guy known as "Farmer John". Nicknamed because of his start in the Farm section, John is well known for his product knowledge.
When John's 5-year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1980, John took her to Toronto for treatment. On Canada Day in 1982, John was awarded the "Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship" (O.M.C.) for helping to bring the first Ronald McDonald House (RMH) to Canada. For three weeks he stayed in a nearby boarding house, and saw many children by themselves because their parents couldn't afford to stay. At the time, McDonald's had committed $400,000 toward a building that needed $1.2 million of renovations, but the public had to come up with the rest.
To help raise funds, John started selling one-dollar buttons, and got his Optimist Club involved. That led John to speaking engagements at other clubs, Legions, and to a front-page story in the Windsor Star. He then addressed the Kinsmen National Convention, which raised an extra $100,000. In the end, his efforts helped raise enough funds to cover the remaining costs.
A year later, with his daughter's Leukemia in remission, the first official RMH in Canada opened in Toronto in 1981. John's groundwork has helped countless families since.
