Today's Repurposeful Monday is a love story of charity and Re-Use.  

A mystery surrounding a donation to St. Gemma's Hospice Thrift Shop in Leeds,

England, has been solved.  Last week a beautiful, vintage hand-made wedding

dress was left at the shop with a precious note attached:

"I wish any lady who takes this dress to have a life with her loved one (like the)

56 years like I did, happy years.  I was a lucky man to marry a lady like mine."

"The shop found a lovely handwritten note attached when they opened

it up," said Nicola Woodgate, thrift shop employee.  "It's a very ornate,

vintage gown that was made in the 1950's.  It has no labels so we think

it was made for the lady who would have been the bride."

On the thrift shop's Facebook page it was announced that the donor of the

gown has been identified as the widower of the bride who was married in the

dress.  The shop's staff agreed to his request for anonymity and when they

told him that they'd like to list the gown for sale on eBay, he readily agreed. 

The ivory, floral lace gown is a size small

and has a net underskirt peplum.

 eBay Link

After the story of the gown went viral on the internet the shop's eBay

listing started receiving international attention.   With just a few days

left on the auction the 60+ bids have raised the price to almost $10,000!

"He is so happy and proud that the Hospice will benefit from funds raised

by the auction of the dress," Ms. Woodgate posted on  Facebook.  "He is

watching the media frenzy with interest and thinks it is wonderful."

I think the bride would be proud of her husband's
sweet gesture and especially his love note.