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A Golden Holiday Gift In A Salvation Army Kettle

EAST STROUDSBURG — A secret Santa has dropped a generous donation into a red kettle in Monroe County. A gold coin was discovered in a bell ringer’s ...
mon sally gold coin

EAST STROUDSBURG -- A secret Santa has dropped a generous donation into a red kettle in Monroe County.

A gold coin was discovered in a bell ringer's kettle just last week.

This is actually the second time the Salvation Army has discovered a gold coin in one of their kettles.

And whoever dropped the golden coin in the bucket isn't revealing their identity.

The sound of bell ringers is a familiar sound of the season in Monroe County. They've been ringing in holiday cheer since early November.

Usually, donations trickle in, a dollar or two here, some change there.

But a big surprise was dropped in one of the kettles just last week.

"We got a surprise this past week by somebody in the area. An anonymous person wrapped up a gold coin in a $1 bill and dropped it in the kettle bucket," said Major James Gingrich, East Stroudsburg Salvation Army.

It's a solid gold coin marked as a $50 piece, but it's actually worth much more. About $1,200 to be exact.

The gold coin was found in Bob Counterman's bucket.

"When I heard about it made my ticker go ding ding ding ding ding, you know? I'm really glad that I'm helping the church out," Counterman said.

That gold coin that was dropped in one of the Salvation Army red kettles can give about 10 Christmas dinners to families in Monroe County or lots of toys to kids in need, and the Salvation Army just wants to say thanks.

"There's just so many things that we can do with that money to help the people that need it the most."

"You hear about these things happening in New York or Philadelphia, but when it comes home to Monroe County, it's more fun, it's special," said Gingrich.

The Salvation Army isn't saying which of its 19 kettle locations the coin appeared in for safety reasons.

But bell ringer Bob does want the secret Santa to know one thing for sure.

"I want to say thank you and we really appreciate it and you're helping out all the communities."

The Salvation Army will be ringing bells throughout Monroe County and across northeastern and central Pennsylvania through December 24.

Right now the East Stroudsburg location has raised about 75 percent of its Christmas goal.

And that gold coin has helped them inch just a little bit closer to that final number.

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