All for the smile: Area man brightens Easter for sick children

For Cape Girardeau resident Floyd Penny, the smiles on childrens' faces are the best reward he can receive when he visits the cancer ward at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital.

He also helps locally by providing carriage rides and gifts for employees at VIP Industries at holiday parties. He and his wife, Loine, shop for toys or appropriate gifts in bulk and enjoy the privilege of having the extra money to be able to personally reach out and help people.

Penny said he feels the need for a little kindness is greater at a hospital like Cardinal Glennon because young patients often travel far from home for treatment and may be separated from their parents and family. He speaks from experience, having been hospitalized far from his home when he was a youngster and said, "It's lonesome laying there all by yourself."

Penny has been involved in this type of outreach for almost 10 years because of an incident at the SEMO District Fair that moved him to action. A VIP employee asked him for some lemonade at a stand he was working at the fair. When the individual had no money to pay, Penny decided to give away lemonade to the group of VIP employees who were there. He said helping people "really inspires me to do more."