An elderly Esquimalt resident who had money stolen from her purse is in for a surprise just before the holidays.
Amanda JenkinsB次元官网网址檚 73-year-old grandmother, Diane Brown, was at Hillside Shopping Centre last week looking for Christmas gifts for her family.
She has low income and is on old age pension so another family member gave her $1,100 to buy presents and some groceries in return for babysitting.
Unfortunately, while she was at MarshallB次元官网网址檚 at the mall, her money went missing.
Jenkins said she received a call from Brown who was in tears and explained that a man had bumped into her, causing her to fall over while she was shopping. The next thing she knew, the money was gone.
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B次元官网网址淪he didnB次元官网网址檛 think anything of it,B次元官网网址� Jenkins said. B次元官网网址淎nd when she went to the cash register to pay she noticed he had taken the money out of her purse.B次元官网网址�
Jenkins said she went to mall security and then the police who investigated the incident and told her she likely wonB次元官网网址檛 get the money back.
B次元官网网址淢y nana is super low income,B次元官网网址� Jenkins said. B次元官网网址淪he loves Christmas and she had all these ideas of what she was going to buy people for Christmas.B次元官网网址�
Jenkins took to posting in a Facebook group about the incident to vent and also in the hopes that maybe the person who stole the money would see and understand her grandmaB次元官网网址檚 story.
Shortly after, she began to receive messages from other members of the group who wanted to do something to help.
B次元官网网址淎 whole bunch of [people] started messaging me and offering to transfer me fundsB次元官网网址�$10 here and there,B次元官网网址� Jenkins said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really nice, I didnB次元官网网址檛 think that would ever happen.B次元官网网址�
Jenkins was able to raise $450 with the help of community members but due to guidelines set out by the Facebook group, administrators had to turn off commenting on the post. The group rules state that no posts about charities or fundraising are allowed.
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Regardless, Jenkins said she was grateful for those that offered to help her grandmother out, especially since she did not ask for money in the first place.
She said she wishes she could help her grandma more but is a single mother who is in school and is not financially in the right place to do much more.
B次元官网网址淣ana would be so grateful for whatever she receives,B次元官网网址� Jenkins said. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檇 be grateful if I even gave her $50, sheB次元官网网址檚 one of those people.B次元官网网址�
Jenkins said her family will be celebrating Christmas together this year and is hoping to surprise her grandmother with the money before the 25th.
B次元官网网址淚 was sad to think that someone would do that to her,B次元官网网址� Jenkins said. B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檓 also really happy that so many people donated.B次元官网网址�
Those that are interested in reaching out to Jenkins can do so at amandalynnjenkins1991@gmail.com.
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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