‘Give with Joy’ story series: Senior couple continues amazing Christmas tradition

Our Give with Joy story series highlights how donations to The Salvation Army Northern Division impact lives in Minnesota and North Dakota. This Christmas season, spread joy by giving a donation, signing up to volunteer, or ringing bells at a Red Kettle.

Gwen and David, both 88 years old, are living proof of what it means to Give with Joy.  

For as long as they can remember – at least 30 years, they say – the couple has given only one Christmas present to one another, and the gift is always the same: a donation to The Salvation Army.

“We would never do it any other way,” Gwen said with a smile.

The couple’s amazing Christmas tradition originated with Gwen – a lifelong Twin Cities resident who first met The Salvation Army about 50 years ago, when she volunteered to sign people up for assistance with their utility bills.

“I saw a lot of poverty in that role,” recalled Gwen, a retired bank teller. “It opened my eyes to the hard times that many people out there are going through.” 

She later met David, who spent five decades working in a Twin Cities school distrct in a variety of roles, including teaching math, coaching wrestling and football, and serving on the school board. 

After the couple married 47 years ago, David joined Gwen in supporting The Salvation Army. Together they rang bells for about 20 years.

“We rang together so that we could take turns warming up – there were some cold winters back then,” David quipped. “In all those years of ringing, I never heard an unkind word about The Salvation Army.”

The couple also gave support by taking less-fortunate families on Christmas shopping sprees through a former Salvation Army holiday program.

“We did that for several years,” Gwen said. “One time when we were shopping with a family, we ran into somebody who knew David from school. When that person found out what we were doing, they started crying. That gave us a very warm, good feeling. I have so many fond memories of those wonderful years.”

Today, the couple continues to feel those same feelings of joy every time they donate to The Salvation Army.

“The warm feelings we get are greater than any gifts we could give each other,” Gwen said. “We have been blessed in our lives, and we celebrate that by giving to The Salvation Army.”

This Christmas season, support The Salvation Army by giving a donation or ringing bells at a Red Kettle. Your generosity will bring joy to local families in need.