Temple: Community raises money for local ‘sign guy’

TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) - Albert Finley, or “Bow Legged Lou”, is known around Temple as the ‘sign guy’ dancing in the street holding advertising signs for local businesses.

He dances and waives on 31st Street, bringing a smile to people driving by.

Over the summer, his car broke down and he couldn’t afford the repairs, “The transmission went out on my car and I said lets not cry over spilled milk,” Finley said.

He kept working hoping to save enough to get it fixed or get a new car.

Jason Winkler, knowing how hard Finley works and how loved he is in the community, offered to set up a GoFund Me to help repair the car.

Winkler first met Finley eight years ago when he came to his business, Winkler Insurance, asking to clean his car for cash so he could have food that day.

Winkler agreed and has since hired him to clean the office, even working on projects at his house and farm.

The two stayed in touch and Winkler said Finley has even spent Thanksgiving with his family in the past.

“People will stop in here and they’ll talk about him not even knowing that I know who he is,” Finley said. “He’s got a good work ethic he doesn’t mind working hard.”

When they first posted the GoFund Me, Winkler wasn’t sure how well it would do, but it’s totaled more than $5,000 as of Thursday evening.

“I expected him to get a few hundred dollars probably not even enough to even begin to get that transmission fixed but I’ve been blown away by how much it’s taken off and exploded,” Winkler said.

“I am on cloud nine I feel on top of the world,” Finley said in response to the community support.

Winkler says he will continue to expand the goal as donations come in, as Finley has needed dental surgery for years he could also never afford.

“Someday before I die I just want to see what I look like with a real smile,” Finley said.

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