March 29, 2024
Local News

Salvation Army of McHenry County receives first gold, silver coins of red kettle season

The Salvation Army of McHenry County has received its first gold and silver coins of the annual Red Kettle Campaign.

On Monday, a person donated a one-tenth of an ounce gold South African Krugerrand, said Linda West, community relations and development director for the Salvation Army of McHenry County.

The coin is worth $120 to $200, West said.

A team of waitresses from Georgio's received the coin when they were collecting donations outside of the Jewel-Osco in Crystal Lake, West said.

"All of the bell ringers are excited to hear we have a gold coin," West said.

Bell ringers Mark and Dayna Katz of McHenry received a one-ounce silver round Lincoln cent Dec. 6 while collecting donations at Super Wal-Mart in Johnsburg. Silver on Friday was worth a little more than $17 an ounce.

The first anonymously donated gold coin was dropped into a red kettle in Crystal Lake in 1982. It has since become an annual tradition. The coins are sold based on weight, and the proceeds are added to the annual Red Kettle Campaign.

The county's Red Kettle Campaign runs through Christmas Eve and has a goal of $150,000 this year, West said. Money raised stays in McHenry County.

The Salvation Army is just under halfway to its goal, West said.

For information, visit www.salarmycl.org.