Around The Railroad

Employees Reach Out to "Broom Man"

January 14, 2008 | 09:10 a.m. CST

Most employees are not familiar with the name Livingston Wills. That's because he is known by most as the "broom man." The 90-year-old Wills, who is legally blind, has been selling brooms on the streets of Omaha for almost six decades.

However, failing health has taken its toll, limiting Wills' ability to get around and sell as many brooms as he used to. He was struggling to pay his electricity bill.

A short article in the Omaha World-Herald telling readers of Wills' plight prompted the citizens of Omaha, and Union Pacific, to help. Instead of the broom man coming to them, they would go to him.

Dennis Houston, who operates The Shop at UP Center, saw an opportunity to help. Houston initially purchased 48 brooms from Wills and began selling them at UP Center's shop and his store on the ConAgra campus. Full-size brooms sold for $12 and whisk brooms sold for $7. Union Pacific employees showed their generosity by immediately depleting Houston's inventory. Brooms were back-ordered on several occasions. Some employees wrote checks as donations directly to Wills. Ultimately, employees purchased 700 brooms. That's what the broom man normally sold in a two-and-a-half year period.

"It's amazing how the employees pulled together to help this Omaha legend in need," said Houston. "It makes me proud to be part of the Union Pacific family."