Tulsa, OK (KJRH) — It’s not Christmas in Green Country until the red kettles show up.
The Salvation Army depends on the generosity of passersby for all they do year round.
“It really helps support homeless services and services for youth through our boys and girls clubs, so this is an essential absolutely critical part of the support for us,” Major Mark Harwell, Salvation Army Area Commander said.
Harwell has been with the Salvation Army for 27 years.
Tulsa Gold and Silver has done its part to help for seven years now.
They match all money raised on one Saturday during the holidays, this year their part was a $25,000 donation, earning them the title of leading corporate partner in the kettle campaign.
This year through both the Salvation Army and Tulsa Gold and Silver got a real surprise.
Several gold coins were dropped in red kettle’s around the area, there’s also a silver one from Jamaica and the most valuable one is a collector’s item.
“This coin is a $20 gold piece from 1904 from the US and this is actually a rare coin they will never ever make this again,” Tulsa Gold and Silver’s Mike Anderson said.
All the coins totaled nearly $9,000, which is all going to the Salvation Army and donated by someone who visits Reasor’s and Hobby Lobby stores in the area.
In his 27 years with the Salvation Army, the major has never seen these kinds of anonymous donations.
“This is my first experience in a community where these precious coins have been given,” Harwell said.
Donations for the Red Kettle Campaign are down some this year, but bell ringers have until Christmas Eve, to get those numbers up.
