Pictured: Alice Hansen (right) gives Karsten Haas a big hug Saturday afternoon after the 7-year-old found Hansen’s wedding ring in the snow on her deck in front of her Hardwick home. Hansen lost the ring weeks ago. Submitted photos

By Mavis Fodness –

Several weeks ago Alice Hansen lost her wedding ring while working around her Hardwick home.

She searched outside and throughout the house, but the ring given to her by her late husband, Ron, 46 years ago was not to be found.

“I was upset and sad that I lost it,” Hansen said. “I didn’t know where I lost it.”

On Saturday her 7-year-old neighbor, Karsten Haas, found it while scooping snow off her deck.

“I don’t think Karsten understood what a heartwarming thing he did,” Hansen said.

Karsten, a first-grader at Edgerton Public Elementary, decided to scoop snow to fulfill a school assignment called the “100 Dollar Project.”

Since 2008, the first-grade class celebrates the 100th day of school through a giving challenge and a field trip to the bank to see a $100 bill.

The challenge meant that each student needed to earn $12. When pooled, the money is given to a special person fighting a life-threatening disease, or to a family who experienced a tragic loss or is in need of financial help.

This year’s 100 Dollar Project goal is to purchase a memorial plaque for a former classmate, Gauge Sprik, who died in September.

Total cost of the plaque is $359.

Karsten chose scooping snow as a way to earn his $12 contribution toward the memorial.

He made arrangements with Hansen, his neighbor, that at the next snowfall he would clean off her front deck.

On Saturday a fresh layer of snow covered Hansen’s deck.

Helping Karsten with the shoveling were his mom, Anna, and younger brother, Dax. His dad, Tom, was out of town at work.

Anna said as she worked to remove the snow ridge under the deck railing, Karsten followed and dumped the loosened snow over the railing. They were 20 minutes into the task when Karsten stopped.

“Suddenly he said, ‘I saw a golden ring’,” Anna said. “I saw a golden ring, I swear.”

Sifting through the snow, Karsten held up Hansen’s lost wedding ring.

Cries of astonishment and tears of joy came from Hansen as she told the Haases about how she lost the ring weeks before, probably when she took down her Christmas lights.

Anna snapped pictures to document the find and shared the experience on her social media page.

“Every once in a while you get to experience a story that fills your heart with so much joy,” Anna wrote.

“What a miracle this truly was and confirmation that our angels in heaven are always watching over us.”

Hansen said she tipped Haas for finding her ring, a portion of which he donated Sunday at church.

Reprinted with permission from the Rock County Star Herald.

Alice Hansen (far left) watches Karsten (center) and Dax Haas remove snow from her deck Saturday afternoon. Moments after the picture was taken, Karsten spied a golden ring, which turned out to be Hansen’s lost wedding ring.