An Illinois woman who just turned 100 years old got something she’d never had before: a birthday party at Lowe’s.
For the past several years, Gretchen Sollo has walked laps inside the Lowe’s in Bradley, Illinois, using the store as her indoor fitness track. Employees estimate she’s logged about 1,500 miles, and over time she became part of the store family.
To celebrate her milestone birthday, workers rolled out a blue carpet, decorated an aisle with balloons, baked a cake, and gathered about 50 friends, family members, and employees to surprise her. Sollo, who says she never wanted a birthday party, was stunned and touched by the celebration.
As for the secret to reaching 100? Sollo credits a healthy upbringing on a farm, plenty of walking, and, with a laugh, says a little whiskey doesn’t hurt either.