A Port Coquitlam senior got the surprise of her life this week when someone returned her wallet — still stuffed with more than $100 in gift cards and $40 in cash.
Gail Peneff, a resident of R.J. Kent seniors complex in Port Coquitlam, didn't even know she lost her change purse until a member of the Coquitlam RCMP showed up at her home on Monday (Jan. 3).
"He was the biggest police man I ever saw," Peneff recalled.
Peneff thinks she lost her wallet in the Shaughnessy Street underpass when she was bringing back groceries from Shoppers Drug Mart and a blanket from the Salvation Army.
"I just threw it in my shopping cart," recalls Peneff, who said she was more worried about negotiating the treacherous steps during the recent winter cold and snow that she wasn't as careful as she should have been with her wallet.
"I didn't even know I lost it," said Peneff, who is 83 and a retired home support nurse.
Losing the money would have been a hardship because Peneff, who has lived at R.J. Kent seniors complex for 10 years, is on a fixed income.
But Peneff was so overjoyed at getting her wallet back she decided to share her good fortune with other PoCo seniors.
"COVID has really been hard on seniors," said Peneff, noting that while she can get out and visit the Terry Fox Library or Wilson Centre for seniors, many other elderly people are isolated.
Even outings and programs at R.J. Kent have had to be curtailed due to COVID-19 protocols.
So Peneff, who likes to volunteer and has a lot of friends at R.J. Kent, decided to give away the money that was left in the wallet.
"I was up all night thinking about it," said Peneff.
She donated the $40 in cash to Happy Hour at the lounge at R.J. Kent, a housing facility built by the Port Coquitlam legion.
"Everyone was happy. They were shocked," said Peneff, who said the returned cash was like "found money."
Noting that Canadian legions have been facing tough times with veterans passing away and COVID-19 restrictions, Peneff said she was pleased to be able to help out her senior friends.
"Vets are dying off but, with Covid, it's been really hard on us all."
But what Peneff would really like to do is to thank the Good Samaritan who returned her wallet to the police station.
She wants them to know how nice it was for them to make the effort, while also leaving the gift cards and cash intact.
"You are a highlight to many seniors. By returning the wallet, they gave us all faith that there is more goodness in the world than there is bad."
