This is a true story that happened about 12 years ago.  I had been living all fall onboard a ship and all my living needs were taken care of, no living costs other than entertaiment, kinda nice.  I found that my pockets would fill with change and at the end of each day I would throw it in to a coffee can.  There was also 4 other guys that were working aboard the ship during the week and as the change can grew they began to ask what I was going to do with it.  I decided that I was going to donate it to a lucky Salvation Army bell ringer just before Christmas, they thought that sounded good and began to donate some change of theres in to the can as well.  
It was the last weekend before Christmas and the can had quite a bit of change, no pennies all silver stuff, didn't count it but new it had to be close to $100 or so.  It had snowed in Seattle earlier in the week and then a cold snap that turned it to ice, not good driving on the less traveled streets, the main roads had been cleared for the most part but I was avoiding driving as much as I could.  I had some last items to shop for so I poured the change into a paper bag and stuffed it in my big coat pocket, had to be almost 10 extra lbs weighing me down.  I walked to the retail area of the Ballard section of Seattle and expected to find a bell ringer outside one of the stores.  I found the last gift items needed, but no bell ringers... odd for this close to Christmas.  I walked back to the ship and decided to consider my options, I was going to visit family the next day and didn't think I'd have the option to dump the change off so devised a route to a large shopping mall that would keep me on the clear roads.  I drove to Northgate mall and found a parking spot at the end of the lot and entered into one of the major stores.  I asked someone working there if they had seen any bell ringers and they said yea, but they are only allowed on the ouside of the stores, not inside.  Cool, I thought and began to walke the outside perimeter of the entire mall...no bell ringers to be found. :-/
Frustration was beginning to set in, >:( truth is they are everywhere here during the holiday season, the racket these bell ringers make can be quite annoying and I always felt guilty everytime I have to walk by one and didn't have any change to throw in. I just wanted to drop the money and get home to a warm bed.
Striking out at the mall I decided that I could take a surface highway that should be clear down to Seattle Center, a cultural and commercial park, home of the Space Needle and site of the '62 Worlds Fair, there is always people and bell ringers there.  I parked the car and walked into the center, knowing that bell ringers had to be ouside I walked around all the exits to the main buildings, the only thing I found was the pot holding stand and the sign expressing thanks for giving, but no pot to throw the change too and no bell ringer. :-/
I was getting more  determined >:( - No charity was going to deny my right to give money!  I went into an information booth in the center and began explaining my plight to a nice person, I pulled the bag of change out of my pocket to show him the spoils I had to offer, the bag collapsed under the stress it had travled under, I had walked a couple of miles with it by now and all the jostling had made it thin.  The attendant expressed his joy that a lucky bell ringer would sure be happy about this and found me a new bag to house the change and suggested that I take the monorail from the center to the downtown retail core.  Excellant, I thought, the monorail ends at Westlake Mall, very upscale shopping center and there is also the original 1st stores of Bon Marche and Nordstrom there, big reatailer now that started in Seattle, not to mention another large local store called Frederick and Nelson that has since closed.  
I dug the $1.20 needed for the monorail ride and headed downtown.  The monorail gets off at the top floor so I hurried down to find my lucky bell ringer, I was quickly met with dissapointment :( , the main entrance had the pot holder and the sign, but no pot or ringer.  No problem I thought, plenty of others spots, I walked around to every entrance on the Westlake mall, no ringers, :( I went over to Frederick and Nelson, no ringers >:(.  I crossed the street to Nordsroms, no ringers >:(.  I couldnt belive this, I am not one to give up and I don't accept failure easy, but I had one more major store to hit.  I crossed the street to the Bon Marche and did my rounds about the building, I hit the last entrance door and was once again met with the empty pot stand and sign but no one to give the money too. :-/  
There was nothing left for me, I had failed to give this charity money away.  I walked back towards the monorail with my head held low in disbelief, no hurry was left in me since I had failed at my goal.  As I passed a small shelterd brick cubby area outside the Bon, I heard a man ask
"Excuse me sir, do you have some spare change?"
I looked over and found the man dressed in layers of 2nd hand clothes trying to ward off the chill sitting on the cold cement, and suddenly I felt my spirits rise.  I relised that my goal could be met, and for the right reason, just to make someone elses Chirstmas a little better. :D
"Why yes,... Yes I do have some spare change" I announced to him, to me, to everyone within ear shot.
"Merry Christmas" I said as I handed him the bag.
As I walked away I heard shouts of delighted surprise, and joyful thanks, it was the best recieved gift that I gave that year.
:D

I need a smilie emoticon with a tear...and again, on this board, there is no emoticon for what I am feeling :)

Merry Xmas, dude.

What a great story. I don't really give money but I give my time-a lot of it. I just recently aquired the job of operating the local food shelf-even though I have worked it for a few years now. I am always amaze at the generousity of people-especially this time of year. However, I would like to remind everyone that people are hungry not just in December but in June too. I don't want to discourage anyone from giving but hopefully, a little reminder will encourage people to give the other 11 months out of the year too. (Ok, end of sermon. lol)



Cat

It is lovely to find such giving big-hearted people here. Happy Holidays. :) :) :) And..thanks for the reminder Cat. There is always someone who has it worse off and how wonderful that you care enough to help.

Thanks for the nice replys, it's kinda bizarre the way the whole thing turned out but funny.  

:)

A Great Christmas story. Thank you very much for sharing it with us!

To you and all the big-hearted people out there....

Merry Christmas! http://www.amazing-animations.com/gif/xmas007.gif

That's a great story, Race.  :-*  Obviously, the reason you couldn't find any bell-ringers is because you were meant to find this person to give the change to. :)

Thanks for the nice replys, I think XenaKat is right that he was destined for that present, the odds of never finding a bell ringer in Seattle the weekend befor Christmas is to great a stretch.