Diamond Ring Donated To Pinecrest Salvation Army Kettle

Despite the alleged hijacking of a Christmas turkey truck, some South Floridians are doing good this holiday season. Yesterday, the South Miami Salvation Army received an anonymous call that something special was left in the red kettle at the Pinecrest Kmart.

According to the Miami Herald, when Salvation Army Capt. Linda Payton arrived at the site, she found a diamond ring wrapped in a $50 bill and a note. It read, "They need it more than I. Do good!" and was signed "A friend."

The ring, with two diamonds and one sapphire, was appraised at $2,000. Such generous jewelry donations are not unheard of. Just last week, two rings were left in a North Carolina Salvation Army kettle, also wrapped inside a bill. And last year, at a Coral Gables Publix, someone donated a gold nugget worth thousands.

The Salvation Army hangs onto to such items until Christmas Eve in case the owner didn't intend such a generous donation. In Kansas, a woman lost her engagement ring inside the kettle while depositing money.

And while the Salvation Army kettles get their fair share of trash and other random objects like car wash tokens and fake million dollar bills, the odd ring, nugget, or gold coin can redeem an otherwise slow giving season.

At a Washington kettle, a silver coin was donated with a note that read, "I've saved this ounce of silver for twenty years. I'm unemployed for 13 months. My house is in foreclosure. I'm filing for bankruptcy, and at 61 my retirement is shot, but I still know there are families in worse shape."