Montclair Pantry Gets Mysterious Donation With Heartwarming Past

MONTCLAIR, NJ — It’s not unusual for the staff of the Human Needs Food Pantry of Montclair to come across a strange donation from a well-meaning community member. But what they discovered earlier this week is literally one for the history books.

“We just never know what we’ll find in a donation bag!” the nonprofit’s staff wrote on Jan. 8. “It felt like an episode of Antiques Roadshow around here when we came upon this beauty, with its lovely inscription.”

What appears at first glance to be a simple wooden keepsake box holds a hidden life of its own. A Christmas present from a grandfather to his grandson, the box was made of salvaged wood from a devastating fire, according to its creator.

An inscription on the box reads:

“The wood ‘white oak’ from which this box was made grew in Ohio between the years 1690 and 1780. About 1820, it was used as a ceiling beam over the dining room of ‘Horton Hall,’ a fine residence building in Perrysburg. On July 27, 1940, the house (as you well know) was destroyed by fire. As a keepsake for you, I have made this treasure chest from this old piece of white oak which I salvaged from the burned building. I hope it will be a pleasant memory in days to come and will be a ‘treasure to you always.’”

The inscription is signed, “Your Grandfather Bentley” and dated Dec. 25, 1940.

After a little internet sleuthing, pantry staff managed to find a museum in Perrysburg, Ohio who said they’re “honored” to display the intriguing piece of local history.

While the historical box was pretty unique, you’d be surprised at some of donations the Human Needs Food Pantry has received in the past, Executive Director Mike Bruno told Patch.

“Some of the unusual ones include a case of condoms, a pink vibrator with an opened jar of personal lubricant, a rusted can of soup that expired in 1988 and many more,” Bruno said.

The social media-savvy Bruno put a photo of the can of soup on the internet as an example of “what not to donate.” A caring member of the community saw it, stopped into the pantry and gave them $20 for it, he recalled.

“Obviously, the vibrator and lubricant were thrown out,” he added.

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Photos: Human Needs Food Pantry of Montclair