GRAFTON - Brad Hagen is an owner of the Grafton Oyster Bar and he is one who thinks of many others during the holidays.
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On Wednesdays during the holiday season, he offered free bread pudding at the Grafton Oyster Bar. Also during the holiday season, he was spotted at Sinclair Grocery in Jerseyville and Schwegel’s in Alton purchasing groceries for people he selected.
“I was raised in a blue-collar family,” he said. “My dad was a meat cutter at Sinclair and my mom a nurse. They taught me to save and be respectful of other people. I have a lot to thank them for. John Johnson, the owner of the Oyster Bar in St. Louis where I was a manager and chef, taught me the ropes of the restaurant industry. He and his wife, Vicki, are giving people. They get many requests a week for fundraising things and they try to give back to the people. For me, the key points of Thanksgiving, Christmas and the holidays are to be thankful for what we are given in life. Luckily, my wife and I are in position to contribute and give back some to the community.”
Another area business owner, Ryan Hansen, had a great community gift during the holiday season when he donated a turkey to someone in the area with each turkey purchase. Hagen was involved as a corporate contributor to that campaign.
When Brad Hagen did the random act of kindness events at the grocery stores, he would pick a person he felt might need a little assistance and purchase a full cart of groceries.
“This is the third year we have done this,” he said of the random grocery purchases.
Hagen also praised his friend, Ryan Hansen, for the turkey giveaway effort: “I wanted to support him and he was gracious enough to hand out turkeys to the Salvation Army, food pantry recipients and went as far as the Grafton and Calhoun areas.”
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