'Blessed Day' shirts show support for Walmart greeter

If he didn't already know it, James Phillips is learning that one blessing can lead to many, many more.

Only FOX 5 was in Blue Ridge Wednesday, when a group of volunteers and some of Phillips' family surprised him with the latest example.

The volunteers created a "Have a Blessed Day" t-shirt. They've already sold more than 200 for $10 a piece, and they're giving the money to Phillips so he can donate it.

Related: Walmart greeter told to stop saying 'have a blessed day' to customers

His first two choices: the Salvation Army and his church.

"Where I go to church, there's only a few of us going, and sometimes [the pastor] has a hard time paying the gas bill, so I want to help him some," Phillips says.

Phillips has helped a lot in the last week.

The 74-year-old works as a greeter at the Blue Ridge Walmart. He always tells customers to "have a blessed day." But the phrase apparently insulted a customer last week, and his manager told him to stop saying it. However, the outrage on social media and support Phillips got outside the store, led to Walmart reversing it's decision in less than 24 hours.

And just like that a hero was born.

"Now, when you go buy groceries or go to McDonalds, everybody is saying 'have a blessed day,'" Phillips' daughter Sharon McFarland says. "So all the businesses are doing it. It's pretty awesome."

And it's turned Phillips into a local celebrity. People now show up to his Walmart, just to meet him.

"There's a couple people said they came from the other side of Helen Georgia, a four hour drive each way to come and see me," he says. "They got on either side and took a picture."

His face is also on the front page of not one, but two local newspapers. And there's even talk of putting up a billboard, as you drive into Blue Ridge, that will read "Have a Blessed Day."