LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) -- A diamond ring dropped into a Salvation Army red kettle in La Crosse came with a note attached.

The message said the donation was a random act of kindness to honor the 20 young children and 6 adults killed by a gunman in Newtown, Conn. The note made special mention of 6-year-old Olivia Engel. She was one of the first-graders killed in a shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School Dec. 14.

Salvation Army officials say the ring, estimated at about $325, helped push the fund raising goal for the first time in four years.

A national movement called "26 Acts of Kindness" to honor the Newtown victims began on social media. Its Facebook page exceeded 99,000 likes by Friday.