February 29, 2024, my friend Brad Lawrence celebrated his 15th birthday. I took this photo of Brad in front of the Wizard’s Guest Cottage on the campus of Wizard Academy because IT IS THE ONLY TIME I HAVE EVER SEEN THE MAN WITHOUT A TIE. I’m pretty sure he even mows his lawn in a tie. And I know for a fact that his son Christian was BORN wearing a tie.

Brad recently donated the cash to build the new Visitor’s Center behind the Bell Wall. Gold Casters is the name of Brad’s jewelry store in Bloomington, Indiana. Brad extracts more dollars per capita/per year from his city than any other jeweler in America. That’s dominance. Hot on his heels, however, is Michael Fleck at Occasions in Midland, Texas. Small towns. Big jewelers.

All three of these men, Brad, Christian, and Michael, are stunningly generous.
– Indy Beagle
(Feb 29th comes once every 4 years, so Brad has had only 15 birthdays.)