Joplin blessed with a generous Secret Santa

The Route 66 town of Joplin, Mo., boasts a Secret Santa who manages to place fat cashier’s checks into Salvation Army kettles in town every year, according to Time magazine.

Amidst the haul, a Salvation Army counting crew found five $1 bills, folded tightly into squares — each concealing a $20,000 cashier’s check with “Santa Claus” listed as the remitter. […]

The most amazing part: such miracles are Christmas as usual in this threadbare southwest Missouri town, where a mysterious Secret Santa has been lifting spirits for years. Starting in 2004, the Salvation Army has found wondrous treasures in its humble kettles. At first, it was five cashier’s checks for $10,000 each, found in different kettles around town, totaling $50,000 per season each year from 2004 through 2008. Last year, when every other economic indicator was down, Santa was doubly generous, leaving a total of $100,000 at various locations.

This was the first year Santa put all $100,000 into one kettle, sometime between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Dec. 13. It was a frosty evening. Across the street from the pharmacy, the message board in front of the old brick Bethany Presbyterian Church beckoned passers-by to a coming Christmas potluck. The bell ringer, a single mom in her 20s, reported slow traffic. “She didn’t think she’d gotten very many donations,” Poff said. Evidently, Santa can walk right up to you, and you may not even notice.

The checks were issued by the local Commerce Bank, and if the Secret Santa has an elf or two at work there, they are good at keeping a secret. Local media have tried and failed over the years to figure out who the donor might be. The anonymous gifts now total $450,000.

I’ve heard about Secret Santas dropping krugerrand gold coins into kettles. But adding whopping cashier’s checks into the Salvation Army’s coffers is a lot more impressive, especially when one considers that krugerrands are worth just $1,800 each, tops. And the cashier’s checks contain the additional benefit of being able to be used right away. The krugerrands have to find a buyer.

Joplin is blessed.

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