Manitoba teen’s search for church sale bargain turns up $2,000 bonanza

BRANDON, Manitoba — A 14-year-old boy got more than he bargained for when he tried on a black suit jacket at a recent church rummage sale in Brandon, Man.

Tom Campbell slipped on the jacket last Saturday while shopping with his grandmother, Vivian Mitchell, at the Knox United Church event.

He slipped his hand into a pocket and pulled out a wallet containing 20 crisp $50 bills, then pulled a second wallet from another pocket, which was also stuffed with 50s.

The windfall totalled $2,000, which Tom handed over to sale organizers.

The money was traced to a family that had donated the clothing following the death of a loved one.

The cash was returned but Tom was rewarded with $200 for his honesty.

“I was very surprised and shocked to find both wallets in the pockets. I realized I should hand it in,” said the teen.

A blank cheque in one wallet provided a name and phone number for the owner, but a quick call revealed the line was disconnected.

Acting on a hunch, Mitchell checked the obituaries and was able to track down the donor family and determine the name of the man who had owned the jacket. She located his brother and turned over the cash.

“It’s a wonderful story of truth and honesty with a young man and his grandmother,” said sale organizer Norman Brown. “They could have walked out of the door with $2,000 in their pocket.”