For the second holiday season in a row, an anonymous donor turned a Salvation Army collection kettle in Daphne into a small treasure chest, slipping in a gold coin worth more than a thousand dollars along with a challenge for the rest of the community to follow suit.
Volunteers with the Salvation Army of Coastal Alabama discovered the surprise on a Friday morning after the coin had been dropped the night before into a red kettle stationed at the Walmart in Daphne. The gift was a South African gold Krugerrand, minted in 1982, and it arrived taped to a handwritten note just as one had the previous December.
“We are thrilled,” said Maj. Mark Brown, the organization’s area commander, who noted that the mysterious gesture had now become something of a holiday tradition. Both coins were accompanied by messages urging other supporters to match the generosity.
This year’s note carried the same spirit as the last. “Once again during this holiday season of giving and sharing, we are giving this gold Krugerrand coin to the Salvation Army in hopes of bringing Christmas cheer to those not as fortunate as we are and to challenge others to match our donation,” it read. “Come on South Alabama! Open your hearts and wallets and drop a surprise in the red kettle that will make the bells ring! Merry Merry Christmas!”
The coin’s value was significant. Officials said the previous year’s Krugerrand, also struck in 1982, was appraised at roughly $1,350, putting this year’s gift in the same range.
The timing made the donation especially welcome. Because Thanksgiving fell later on the calendar, the stretch of days available for bell-ringing between the holiday and Christmas was shorter than usual, squeezing one of the charity’s most important fundraising windows.
“This donation is a true blessing, and the momentum it could bring to this year’s giving would mean so much to the people we serve,” said Katie Emer, the organization’s public relations director.
The gold coin was not the only unexpected find. Emer said a check for $1,000 also turned up in one of the local kettles that same morning. “We are having an exciting morning at the Salvation Army,” she said.
The Salvation Army’s red kettle campaign funds year-round programs across the region, from emergency assistance to holiday meals and toys for families in need. Donors hoping to answer the anonymous challenge can contribute at any staffed kettle throughout the Mobile and Baldwin County area during the Christmas season.