It's impossible to know what's going on in a stranger's life. Whether you're commuting to work, making a trip to the grocery store or simply walking down the sidewalk in your neighborhood, you're bound to pass several people who you've never met before. The strangers we pass every day have a unique story and their own struggles that everyone else is unaware of, and you never know how much you can impact someone's life by extending a single act of kindness. Tony Thomas and Randy Schamber, locally known as the Strasburg Wavers, are a perfect example of how a small act of kindness can make a big difference.

For two years, Thomas and Schamber sat together near the intersection of Strasburg Pike and Lincoln Highway. The two men shared a mission to put a smile on strangers' faces, which they accomplished by smiling and waving as cars passed by. While the gesture may seem small, it sent ripples through the community and earned them the title of the Strasburg Wavers. In addition to individuals in the area, the Strasburg Wavers became noticed by local businesses such as Joe On The Go Coffee Co. Roughly one year ago, the mobile cafe visited Thomas to give him a free coffee and speak with him for a few minutes, declaring that with Thomas and Joe On The Go at the top and bottom of the Southern End, 5 miles of road were covered with kindness.

Thomas and Schamber forged a close bond with each other through their quest of kindness, spreading their contagious smiles as a team until Thomas passed away on June 17. Schamber and many community members shared posts online mourning Thomas' death and honoring his legacy of spreading joy, and Joe On The Go donated 10% of all sales for one week to Thomas' family to help cover funeral expenses. "We've never met anyone who lived out our mission of spreading kindness more so than Tony," the business said in a Facebook post. "Tony blessed thousands of drivers every day with a huge smile and a waving hand."

Although Schamber and Thomas sat together for two years, Schamber became ill for several months, requiring him to move his chair to a shady spot farther away from the intersection. Many community members only noticed Thomas during this time, leading some drivers to believe Thomas was the sole Strasburg Waver. In the weeks following Thomas' death, several drivers accused Schamber of trying to take Thomas' place. "It was and still is difficult to look at Tony's chair without shedding some tears," Shamber wrote in a Facebook post. "I will continue to sit and wave when I'm able to do so."

A group of local residents will gather with Schamber on Friday, July 26, to honor Thomas' memory and sit in solidarity with the remaining Strasburg Waver.