(UPDATE) E-MAIL TO THE EDITOR: City Treasures Makes Generous, Moving Gift

(Editor's note: This letter comes from Patch user Maringi Monga)

It just surprised me how City Treasures focuses more on community and not making a quick sale.

I stopped by the ribbon cutting last week on Wednesday at City Treasures. When I quietly mentioned I was getting married to my photographer friend, he asked if I needed his services.

I quickly responded "that's the last of my worries, with only 2 weeks to plan, and 3 days to go, I don't even have a dress!"

He quickly lead me to where a wedding dress was hanging and Chamber members encouraged me to try it on. It fitted perfectly, and the store owner rushed around to find the perfect shoes and jewelry. I'm a size 14, plain Jane and nothing ever looks glamorous on me, but this dress was beautiful!

I paraded around as the members encouraged me to and wow'd at the dress. Sadly I got ready to take it off because I knew it wasn't in my budget. The store owner asked me to come out for a photo. I don't like photos, but I did because everyone had been so kind.

After the photo Maurice talked about their stores mission to help others, THEN he gifted me the entire outfit, accessories and all! I cried a little.

I'm a cub scout mom (committee chair), love to volunteer, I'm a New Zealander, and I work with people with disabilities.... basically I'm just not the type that ever imagined a fairytale wedding!

Our wedding was special for a few reasons.... using iPads we were able to Skype my family in New Zealand into the entire ceremony and instead of wedding favors we made a donation to a local Eagle Scout project that will happen soon in our community of Lakewood ( was shared a while ago by Lakewood Patch).

But really for me, I'm just so impressed and moved that a relatively new Lakewood business was so generous in times of a bad economy :)