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Updated 12/22/2011 07:42 PM

Man donates $10,000 to Salvation Army

By: Cara Thomas

Every year, there are stories about unique donations found in Salvation Army red kettles: Expensive gold coins or jewelry just to name a few. But Cara Thomas tells us about an unexpected donation that brought the Ogdensburg Salvation Army Captain to tears.

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OGDENSBURG, N.Y. -- As this year's red kettle drive comes to a close, the Ogdensburg Salvation Army wasn't sure they were going to reach their goal, let alone match their donations from last year.

Captain Angela Shaffer of the Ogdensburg Salvation Army said, "We would have had to find other ways to raise the money. So that we can help those or sometimes we wouldn't be able to help as many."

But a very generous donation put an end to their worries.

"I was just in awe, I just left like I was dreaming," said Shaffer.

On Wednesday, a man came into the Ogdensburg Salvation Army Community Center and said he wanted to make a donation. After asking how much they were behind, the man wrote the Salvation Army a check for $10,000.

She said, "We always say that God will provide and here he is, this man, this angel has come in and provided for us."

The man who gave the donation has asked to remain anonymous, but the Captains at the Salvation Army in Ogdensburg say they cannot express their gratitude enough. And because of this donation, they were able to match the monetary donations from last year.

"I just want to say to the donor, Merry Christmas to you and your family and thank you very much. You have no idea what you have done for this community."

Shaffer said the money will be used to fill the food pantry, begin a soup kitchen and also help community members pay for their fuel and utilities.

Although they matched the amount of donations collected last year, the Ogdensburg Salvation Army Branch said they still need $3,000 to reach this year's goal.

This season's Red Kettle Drive will end at noon on Christmas Eve.