Innovative Ways Of Succeeding -- Both At Work And Bringing Hope, And Life, To Others

Garrett's Gas Station in Downtown Anchorage. 

At Garrett's Gas Station In Anchorage: Feeding Orphans, Building Homes Opening Schools… And Pumping Gas 

"Alaska" In Anchorage 
One advantage that rural businesses have is that they can be more "Alaskan." But, this New Year, we'd like to celebrate an Anchorage gas station that is as Alaskan as it can be.  

Crowding Into The Little Red Office 

"After" photo of a Vietnamese family with
the new home built by the Garretts.

Garrett's Tesoro, at the hectic intersection of Arctic and International Airport Road, is located smack in the middle of Anchorage. But it is truly Alaskan at heart. Nelson Garrett, who owns it with his wife, Angela, has a steady stream of loyal customers who pour into the little red American flag-covered office after they fill up their cars at the pumps. A year or so ago, Tesoro upgraded all of Garrett's pumps, so customers could pay without coming inside.  

You might think that paying at the pumps would streamline the flow of traffic. But, nothing changed. People come indoors anyway, and crowd around. They're there because they want to talk with Nelson and Angela. And while they're there, they stuff dollar bills into Garrett's photo-covered "Orphan Donation" jar on the counter. 

A "before" photo of the same family.

All the walls, and the two doors of Garrett's little building are plastered with pictures. Angela -- whose real name is Nga Huynh Garrett -- was Mrs. Congeniality Asia, 2007, and there are beauty contest pictures of her on the walls. But, there are also other, more important stories taped to those walls, and even to the doors.  In addition to running Anchorage's liveliest gas station, the Garretts have created their own low-budget way of giving back to the world.  

Philanthropy On A Shoestring 
When we think of philanthropists, we often think of millionaires, or even billionaires -- like Bill Gates, Bono or Angelina Jolie -- using a massive amount of money to fight malaria, or bring water wells to villages.

But, the Garretts work their good in a more fundamental way, one dollar at a time. … Angela sells miscellaneous articles of women's and children's clothing, or microwaved food. Through this means, and by way of the plastic donation jar, the couple has managed to build 18 new houses in Angela's hometown back in Vietnam. Each home is not particularly expensive -- around $1,000 to over $2,000 -- but they're nice. And the accumulated impact is truly something. There are "old" and "new" photos of people outside their homes. The old homes are small wooden shacks. The new homes have slab cement floors, porches, roofs that don't leak, and painted walls.

Angela Garrett enjoys helping children. 

Feeding Over 500 Kids A Day 
This little operation feeds 500 to 700 orphans in Vietnam -- every day. It doesn't cost much; around 10 cents each. But it's the difference between life and starvation. Angela's built three orphanage buildings. And an orphanage school. She buys the orphans uniforms: the girls get  blue skirts and white shirts. She also helps the elderly.

Some of of the overlapping photos taped to the inside of the gas station show crowds of people at the airport, coming to welcome the Garretts when they arrive back in Vietnam.  School is let out for the event, and the kids are bused in to the airport to excitedly greet the Garretts.

Community Service Is The Alaskan Way  
Nelson Garrett and his wife show that it's possible to do two things: Run a terrific Alaskan gas station with loyal customers, in Anchorage, the most unlikely of places -- and perform community service that changes people lives. Admittedly, costs are much lower in Vietnam. But, says Nelson Garrett, "It's not easy. You just gotta keep at it."

He's an Alaskan -- running a small family business, which provides great service -- but who also manages, with his enterprising wife, to do something for others that is totally unexpected. 

Bob Valdatta of Seward (left) visits with
Nelson Garrett inside the gas station.

The Most Fun Gas Station In Anchorage 
Next time you're in Anchorage, go into Garrett's and see for yourself. Introduce yourself. He'll remember you next time. Like so many small businesses we work with, Nelson Garrett is a complex person who has surprising strengths. 

 Happy 2014!