The spirit of generosity is usually never more evident than around the holiday season.
But for the Salvation Army this holiday season is different. They are receiving a kind of gift they've never received before.
When you've lived the kind of life Virginia Christian has, serving others is easy.The energetic 86-year-old is a former math teacher at Minnesota State Mankato.
During her retirement, she lived alone here in North Mankato. However, a series of events would lead to the decision to leave this home, but it's a decision she couldn't be happier about.
"It made me feel wonderful. And grateful to God, how things worked out," Virginia Christian says.
After a fall, Virginia decided it wasn't safe to live by herself anymore. But instead of selling the home, she gave it away, to an organization she truly admires.
"It has the highest, highest respect," She said of the Salvation Army. "I can't think of a stronger word. I wish I could; it was my first thought."
That thought was to donate her mobile home to the Salvation Army. Virginia said it was time to do something with it, and since it would be too much trouble for her to sell it, giving it away was always an option.
"Her enthusiasm, just the fact that she is so generous," said Capt. Cynthia Parker of Virginia. "And that she really wanted to, even though there is this selfish to help her out, she still really wanted to help us out."
The Army is used to big gifts like cars or land, but through the auctioning off of this home, the Army will get funds they desperately need.
"Feeding people every day, seven days a week, and with our shelter open, the money comes at a really important time for us," adds Capt. Parker.
The auction for the home starts today online, and the Army thinks they could get five thousand dollars. But Virginia will get something more.
"It was the notion of really wanting to feel good about what happened," Virginia says.
The gift of knowing her home will benefit others.In Mankato.
If you would like to bid on the home, we've set up a link on our website. Just go to k-e-y-c dot t-v and click on featured links.
To view the KEYC-TV piece, go to http://www.keyc.com/node/31388.
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