Donated housecoat holds an unexpected gift

Published: September 29, 2003 | 184th good news item since 2003

Wilson Trahan got a surprise from his late wife this week — $600 stashed in a cocoa canister stuffed in her old housecoat.

Trahan’s wife, Cora Mae, died last month and he had donated her things to Goodwill Industries last week. A worker found the Hershey’s cocoa canister stuffed in the housecoat while processing the donations.

“It had $100 bills and $20 bills,” said Sandy Purgahn, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Acadiana. It also had a name and address of one of Trahan’s sons. Purgahn made the call and the money was returned.

Trahan made a stop at the Goodwill store in Scott Tuesday to thank employee Mark Williams.

“They were honest enough,” Trahan said. “Really, I was lucky.”

The couple had been married 66 years and 11 months, Trahan said. His wife sold Avon for 31 years and would hide the money around the house.

“When she got sick, I told her, ‘Honey you need to tell me.’ Poor thing died and never did tell me. We found some money in the house while (we) were cleaning out,” he said.

He said that his wife would spend her Avon money on their grandchildren.

“She paid for the grandkids’ graduation rings,” Trahan said. “(There’s) only one she didn’t buy for because she hasn’t graduated yet.”

When asked what he plans to do with the money, Trahan said, “I’ve done deposited that in the bank. I’m saving it for my two sons.”

Purgahn said it’s corporate policy to return items that were not meant to be donated.

“I knew that money was not intended for Goodwill,” Purgahn said. “Sometimes things get donated by accident.”

Goodwill Industries has operated in the community the past 13 years and served more than 17,000 people in Acadiana, Purgahn said. People donate clothing, furniture, housewares, even cars to Goodwill. The donations help Goodwill provide services that range from outpatient substance abuse programs and job placement and training to education programs and housing for the disabled and elderly.

“I don’t think there’s anything we haven’t gotten,” Purgahn said. That includes a shrimp boat and fighting chickens.

“(A) couple got in a fight, and (the wife) packed up his chickens,” Purgahn said. With a laugh, she said, “I called them back and said we don’t take small children or animals.”

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