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December 9, 2009 in City
Gold piece dropped in Spokane bell-ringer’s kettle
This 1-ounce Liberty Eagle gold piece was dropped into Salvation Army volunteer Ted Morris’ kettle at the Wandermere Fred Meyer store.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
It appears likely Ted Morris will be Spokane’s No.1 Salvation Army bell-ringer for the third year in a row after somebody dropped a one-ounce gold piece in his kettle on Tuesday.
“The guy gets out of his car and asked me if my name was Ted,” said Morris, a volunteer bell-ringer outside the Wandermere Fred Meyer store. “He put something in the kettle and said, ‘There is something special in there.’”
Later that evening, the Salvation Army’s regional kettle coordinator, retired Maj. Tom Petersen, called Morris to tell him what that something special was – A $50 Liberty Eagle gold piece minted in 1998.
And it came gift-wrapped in a $100 bill.
The price of gold on Wednesday was about $1,130 an ounce, but Sheila Geraghty, the Salvation Army’s regional business manager, said she would probably wait to see if the value of gold climbs any higher before selling it.
“We do need to cash it out before Dec. 24, when the kettle drive ends,” Geraghty said, adding, “The Salvation Army loves to find those kinds of things in its kettles.”
She attributed the gift to an interview with Morris that appeared in Monday’s Spokesman-Review. Morris said he would recognize the generous donor if he saw him again and was keeping an eye out to thank him.
“I’m on cloud nine,” Morris said of the donation. “Every day is cloud nine out here.”
Rights panel poorly understood 
roguecnidarian on December 09 at 4:12 p.m.
On a related note, it is interesting and necessary to look at where this money, that the Salvation Army collects, goes. The Salvation Army does help many people with the donations they receive, but it is also an evangelical Christian organisation. This means it does spend some of the money recieved on lobbying for conservative Christian legislation in the areas of both abortion and homosexuality.
But, in short, the Salvation Army, while helping many poor people, has expressed strong homophobic and xenophobic views:
The Salvation Army: Good Works, Questionable Politics:
http://sfappeal.com/alley/2009/12/so-you-are-in-the.php
More on the Salvation Army’s Anti-Gay Jihad: http://www.americablog.com/2009/12/more-on-salvation-armys-anti-gay-jihad.html
The Salvation Army is an Anti-Gay Organisation:
http://gay.americablog.com/2009/12/salvation-army-is-nasty-anti-gay.html
Think Twice: Where Does The Holiday Money Go: http://media.www.capitalchimes.com/media/storage/paper1195/news/2007/11/29/Opinion/Think.Twice.Where.Does.The.Holiday.Money.Go-3122618.shtml
Salvation Army Accused of Checking Immigration Status of Kids before Giving Them Toys:
http://www.americablog.com/2009/12/salvation-army-accused-of-checking.html
This is not to negate the good that individuals or the Salvation army does as a whole, but merely to encourage people to think twice about where the money they donate goes (and perhaps considering donating to another non-profit that does not discriminate or marignalise groups). People really can make a difference by voting with their pocketbooks.
renata29 on December 09 at 4:44 p.m.
Yes! Also, a few years back, the S-R reported that the Salvation Army in Spokane did not shelter a Native American family because they only had tribal ID…which is obviously a legal, government-issued ID, but that showed me how un-diverse they are. Couple that with the “Christian values” (anti-gay, etc) and that is why I, too, never give them money.
-Renata Rollins
johnclarke on December 09 at 8:49 p.m.
The Salvation Army does not ask your orientation when providing shelter for the homeless or while giving away 8,000 Turkeys in Spokane recently. I’m glad the person that made this wonderful donation was not paranoid like the two posters above. Thanks to whoever you are. The SA will put it to good use.
juanos on December 09 at 10:58 p.m.
I think it is great that someone did this. I agree with the previous poster, the Salvation Army does wonderful things for our community. This is an agency who is helping out our neighbors, friends, and families. Did you know that the Salvation Army shelter is the only shelter in the town that will house a family? Who cares if they are a conservative christian organization? That doesn’t matter to the families who are getting help from this agency. Thanks to the kind gentleman, and everyone else who donates.
-J
renata29 on December 10 at 12:43 p.m.
Obviously the organization’s policies had an effect on the family in Spokane who was denied shelter because they showed Tribal IDs.
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/tools/story_pf.asp?ID=169875
Salvation Army now accepts Tribal IDs, but it shows where the organizational mindset is at.
-Renata
Maynard on December 16 at 2:48 p.m.
If they were tribal, the SA was right in turning them down, the tribes want all others to respect their sovereignty status on the reservations. The gambling procedes alone not to mention federal funding provides more than enough money for tribal programs like those offered by the SA. Not only should the SA continue this way but all other state and federal welfare programs should not be made available to tribal members. It boils down to double dipping.