River City Vineyard is welcoming a generous donation to its Mitton Street homeless shelter.
Jacques Beauchamp has given his 75-foot yacht called "Alexandria 111" to the organization with the hope of helping the less fortunate.
Pastor George Esser said the vessel has appraised as high as $1.7 million. He said they've never received a donation of this size, and adds he was overwhelmed when he heard the news.
"It's quite exciting and quite surreal that something like this would happen," said Esser. "We did believe it, of course, but it seemed too good to be true. Once everything took place, it was awesome."
Esser said they're going to try to sell the boat but admits it may not be an easy task.
He said they want to pay off debt from their solar panel investment and undertake building improvements and an outreach project.
Beauchamp is well-known around Sarnia as a former area entrepreneur who had a floating waterfront restaurant at one time, and was an owner of the original Duc D'Orleans.
River City Vineyard houses about 20 men each night, and also provides meals, a housing program and clothing store.
