FRANKLIN, Ind. -- A store owner in downtown Franklin, Indiana made a shopper's day -- and created a chain of paying it forward.
Stephanie MacDonald of Martinsville visited the downtown Franklin shops last week with her mother and sister to kickoff their holiday checklists.
MacDonald tells RTV6, before leaving home, she put $60 worth of cash into her pocket.
The first store they visited was the Marshmallow Monkey, a home goods and antique shop behind the courthouse known for its holiday charm and black and white awning.
She went to the register to purchase a little bird decoration and reached into her pocket.
The money was gone. Figuring it fell out in the car, sidewalk or in the store she began searching and retracing her steps.
Finding nothing, she paid with her debit card and left the store.
MacDonald began searching more -- through her purse and coat, looking around her car too. Still no luck -- so the women continued on with their shopping day, enjoying lunch and stopping in more shops.
At the end of the day, she stopped back one more time at Marshmallow Monkey to see if anyone turned the money in, hoping there was still a chance to find the cash.
The man behind the counter told her he found three 20 dollars bills on the ground and asked a different woman nearby if she dropped them - and the woman said yes, taking the money.
He told MacDonald it was an odd exchange and something felt off, but he trusted the woman. MacDonald understood, and thanked the worker and then turned to leave the store.
The worker told MacDonald to wait a second and left for a minute. He came back with a sealed envelope, handing it to MacDonald. She told him he didn't need to do that, but he insisted she take the money. He told her he was blessed and asked her to pay it forward.
MacDonald gave the man a big hug and thanked him -- she has since learned the man who did the good deed is Brandon Nicoloff.
And yes - she has paid it forward. MacDonald is a 3rd grade teacher at Smith Fine Arts Academy - a low income area in Martinsville.
Many families there struggle make ends meet, MacDonald said.
That's why every year with the help of her class, she organizes a Thanksgiving dinner. The students make stuffing, pudding, cornbread, and green beans -- MacDonald makes two big turkeys at home for the event.
Parent volunteers help serve and cleanup this special meal.
MacDonald tells me while this event is memorable and fun each year -- the cost of the food can get expensive. This year, she is putting that money from Marshmallow Monkey toward the food for her students' feast. She says she continues to do this each year because some students tell her it's the only Thanksgiving meal they have.
MacDonald and her students are looking forward to making this meal Tuesday, then celebrating together.
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