'Mimi' Mystery Continues as $1,300 Gold Coin Appears in Salvation Army Kettle

Salvation Army bell ringers with their distinct red kettles serve as a traditional sign that the season of giving has officially arrived across the country. In Fort Myers, the tradition gets an annual boost courtesy of Mimi.

While no one knows for sure who Mimi is or who drops a gold coin in a red kettle to honor her memory, it’s a holiday tradition in the Florida community that’s officially 11 years and counting.

The first gold Liberty Eagle coin of the 2014 season was found this week in a kettle outside a Publix grocery store in Fort Myers, the Palm Beach Post reported. For 11 years running, someone has dropped one of the coins into a kettle anonymously. While the donor stays out of the spotlight, the coin always comes with a note that reads, “In loving memory of Mimi.”

Once the first coin is dropped, copycats sometimes are inspired to do the same, the paper reported.

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The identity of the anonymous donor is a mystery that Salvation Army Major Timothy Gilliam says isn’t necessarily important to solve.

“I think I know the donor’s heart and that’s what’s important to me,” Gilliam was quoted by Wink News as saying.

The Salvation Army in Fort Myers is about 30 percent of the way to its goal of $650,000 this year, News-Press reports. The gold coin, which sells for about $1,300, not only helps with attaining that goal, but also “adds excitement to the season that is already exciting,” Gilliam told the paper.

Money raised during the annual kettle drive helps needy families in the community.