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A crumpled dollar bill dropped into
a Salvation Army kettle this week turned out to be green
wrapping paper for an ounce of gold worth more than $900.
Inside the bill was a shiny Canadian
gold coin covered wit
h white paper inscribed with a note: "A
child is born. Jesus!"
The coin was discovered by Richard
Robinson, who was helping his father-in-law Maj. Stan Carr count
donations on Thursday afternoon. Carr is head of The Salvation
Army Greater Houston Area's Northwest Corps Community Center.
When Robinson unwrapped the coin and
showed it to Carr, they immediately recognized it and were
amazed. Both men are Canadian.
''I saw the bust of the queen, and then
I turned it over and saw the maple leaf, and there was no
mistake where it was from," said Robinson, who is here visiting
from Stoney Creek, Ontario. "I don't usually see them this far
south."
Carr said he took the coin to a local
dealer who estimated the value at $930.
''That's a pretty significant donation,
and it will help a lot of people," Carr said.
The coin was left at a red kettle
station at the intersection of FM 1960 and Texas 249 in
northwest Houston outside of a Sam's Club store on Wednesday.
The Salvation Army is trying to raise
$2.5 million this year to support its many year-round programs
and services, including disaster relief, housing, rehabilitation
and financial assistance. The money is aimed at helping the
needy in Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties.
Extra donations are needed this year to
help replenish the nonprofit organization's resources after
Hurricane Ike. The organization helped 5 million people this
year as a result of the Sept. 13 storm, compared to 100,000
people last year, said spokesman Juan Alanis.
Red kettle donations are down 16
percent, while mail campaign donations are down 20 percent from
the same time last year, Alanis said.
The Salvation Army receives some type
of gold coin every year, but it's usually donated early in the
campaign, which runs between Thanksgiving and Christmas, he
said.
''We've been putting the message out
that donations are low," Alanis said. "People are responding.
This person took it upon himself to make a difference."
Copyright © 2008 - The Houston
Chronicle
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