2015/2016
Vol. 11

The Man Who Saved the Chicks

c. 1935; New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada

Fifty bricks. That’s how you keep chicks warm in the winter.

My great-great-grandparents were born in Poland. They moved to Canada with two boys before Hitler took over Poland. Things were very bad, because there was no work. My great-great-grandparents decided to buy a farm in New Glasgow and become farmers.

My great-great-grandfather Isaac ran an organization to get chicks for poor families and for his farm. One day Isaac was waiting for the train to come with crates of chicks. The smoking train came and dropped off the chicks onto the freezing white snow. Isaac did not know what to do to keep the chicks safe and warm.

Suddenly a poor man came over to Isaac and said, “You look like you need help.”

Isaac replied, “Yes, I sure do.”

The poor homeless man said, “Is there a farmer you can borrow bricks from?”

Isaac replied, “Yes.” Together they went to the farmer and borrowed some bricks.

When they got back to the train station with the bricks, the poor man put the bricks on the potbelly stove that was in the station keeping the station warm. He then put the warm bricks around the chicks. The men layered the crates onto the horse and buggy with warm bricks between the crates and traveled back to New Glasgow.

The poor man asked Isaac if he could work for him on the farm.

Isaac said, “Yes, but I do not have money to pay you.”

The man said, “That is okay. I just need food and a place to sleep.”

This story makes me feel proud and special, because my great-great-grandfather met a special person who ended up helping him and saving the chicks’ lives. This has taught me to always have a good helpful eye for others.

Adina Rohr; New York, USA

Illustrator: Ian Funk; Missouri, USA

This copyrighted story may be copied and/or printed for limited classroom or personal use. To reprint this story and/or illustration in an article about The Grannie Annie, please contact The Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration for permission.

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