By Dan Nienaber

MANKATO — For some people who happen to find a wallet lying on the ground, the first step toward getting it back to its rightful owner is never taken.

Lyall Widener wore about 5,000 steps off the bottom of his shoes to get a wallet back to a South Central College student recently. And he would have come close to tripling that if he hadn’t crossed paths with Stan Woltman along the way.

Widener said he was just doing what he’s done more than once before after finding a lost wallet or purse on Front Street. Woltman, who described Widener as his ‘hero of the day,’ doesn’t see himself as a good Samaritan at all.

Harley Goff thinks they both went out of their way and did a lot more than most people would do.

“I don’t think Woltman realized that it wasn’t only Lyall who was being a good Samaritan, but he was, too,” Goff said.

Goff, who works with Widener at Dotson Co. in downtown Mankato, first met Woltman a couple of weeks ago. Woltman stopped by the Rock Street business just before 8 a.m. saying he wanted to talk to Goff, the human resources director, about an employee there.

Woltman told Goff about meeting Widener at the Lor Ray Deli Mart. Woltman was picking up his morning coffee when he heard Widener asking for directions to South Central College.

Widener, who had just finished a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift at the foundry, was telling the store’s cashier that he had found a student’s wallet on a sidewalk along Front Street and wanted to return it. He also told the cashier he was on foot because he doesn’t drive.

“He was going to walk over to the college, turn the wallet in and walk home,” Woltman said. “I said, ‘Good Lord — after working all night?”

Woltman went on to tell Goff that he offered to give Widener a ride to the college, then home. He said he was shocked to find out Widener lived on Kreig Street in a Mankato hilltop neighborhood clear on the other side of town.

It was two or three miles from Widener’s work to the convenience store. He would have walked about five miles more to get home without a ride from Woltman.

Widener, a Vietnam War veteran, thought nothing of it. He hasn’t driven for years. He walks to work every night, then home every morning. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing or sweltering hot.

He figured he walked from Front Street to the Lor Ray Deli Mart in about a half hour. That day was a nice day for a walk, he said.

“I have a good pace on when I’m walking,” Widener said.

He said he never thought twice after picking up the wallet and finding a South Central College identification card inside. The wallet also had a driver’s license with a Plymouth address on it.

“I wasn’t going that far,” Widener said. “But, when I saw the college I.D., I figured I better take it up there because he’s going to need it.”

Goff was able to identify the student, who didn’t respond to a request for an interview for this story. Both Goff and Woltman said they hope he takes the time to at least thank the guy who has a bit more wear on his soles.

“That was a great act of kindness and he should get something for it,” Woltman said. “I’d get him a certificate for dinner or something.

For Widener, it was no big deal.

“I’ve done this before,” he said. “I’ve also found purses and taken them to where they belong. I’ve always been where, when I find something, I have to find out who owns it.”