The ring, appraised at $3,000, was dropped in a signature red kettle outside a grocery store

The holiday tradition of donating diamonds to the Salvation Army via its famous red kettles continues apace this year with the deposit of a platinum and diamond ring (pictured) into a kettle outside of a Miami Winn-Dixie.

The ring, which was later appraised at $3,000, was wrapped in a $20 bill and a note that read, “There are so many who need help. Keep doing good! Gold bless the Salvation Army. A friend.”

This gift has been attributed to the same anonymous donor who has left valuable gifts the past six years. Other gifts have included a gold nugget, an emerald and diamond necklace, and a diamond ring. Each year, the donor leaves a voice mail for the organization advising them to be on the lookout for the gift.

“The Secret Santa from Miami is special,” Judith Mori, the organization’s director of development, told the Miami Herald. “She’s something else. There’s always messages about compassion and community. This year she left a voice message, and I heard her voice, and she is the sweetest thing ever you could imagine.”

(Photo courtesy of Salvation Army)

JCK