Someone Dropped a $1,000 Winning Lottery Ticket Into a Salvation Army Kettle

The winning scratch-off was donated anonymously at an Erie, Pennsylvania Walmart store.

The holiday spirit was alive in an anonymous do-gooder who dropped a $1,000 winning lottery ticket into a Salvation Army kettle in Pennsylvania.

The lucky winner donated the scratch-off at a Walmart in Erie, state lottery officials said Tuesday.

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"The Christmas season often brings out the best in people," said Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. "It’s heartwarming to hear stories such as this one, and I applaud this anonymous winner for turning their good fortune into an act of charity that will benefit the community."

The ticket was a Fantastic 10s instant game. The winner dropped it off on December 6.

Leslie Walter of the Salvation Army in Erie said scratch-off donations are nothing new, but one this sizeable is almost unheard of.
 
"We’ve received donations of winning instant tickets in the past, but they’re usually in an amount of $10 or $20 – never something of this size," said Walter. "We are very grateful for this generous donation, which will help us to serve people and families in need."

Read: Salvation Army Bell Ringer Flashes Boy, 4, and His Dad After They Make Donation

Last year, a Minnesota couple made a staggering, $500,000 donation to the Salvation Army, saying they had endured hard times and wanted to help others facing dark days this holiday season.

The donors, who wished to remain anonymous, dropped the half-a-million-dollar check into one of the charity’s ubiquitous red kettles, setting a Minneapolis record for a single donation to the Salvation Army.

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