For the past four Christmases, a Salvation Army kettle in the Miami-Dade area has received an extra-special donation, and this year once again there was a pleasant surprise among the coins and folding money.
The Salvation Army’s red kettles are a mainstay of the holidays with shoppers on average dropping their loose change or a couple of dollars in, as the volunteer rings his or her bell.
Shortly before Christmas the agency received a phone call, just as it had in the four years prior to this. This time the woman’s voice on the other end of the line directed Army members to check a kettle in Doral. An emerald and diamond necklace was discovered along with a short note thanking them for their work, and simply signed ‘a friend’.
The Salvation Army provides a wide range of services. Spreading the word about the help they offer to both those who need help as well as to corporate sponsors is facilitated by the assistance of brochure printers.
According to Judith Mori from the Salvation Army, the necklace given this year has an appraised value of $1,340. Gifts given over the past four years were two diamond rings, $1,000 in cash and a gold nugget. Each of these gifts has been accompanied by a similar note and phone call.
