Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign donations down, need help

“We would like to know this person to thank her personally, but as you can tell all of the past six years we’ve been receiving very good inspiring news from her”, said Kelly Durant with the Salvation Army.

Anyone wanting to volunteer to man a Red Kettle may call the Salvation Army Jamestown office at 252-0290. We just want to say how deeply appreciate we are for that and for Magic 102.7 and to the Bermuda Transport System for providing that bus for them.

He just wishes more people in the area also would pitch in to help in the annual holiday season fund-raising effort.

While generous community members have purchased and dropped off the latest toys and games for all the young angels, hundreds of senior angels are still on the waiting list to get their wishes granted.

The familiar sound of bells and the sight of red kettles is one of the Salvation Army’s largest fundraisers.

Folks will be manning the red kettles at Harvest Foods in Bigfork, Smith’s Grocery in Columbia Falls and Kalispell, the Super One stores in Evergreen and Whitefish, and at Tamarack Brewing in Lakeside.

Salvation Army officials say they expect to help all of the more than 2,800 families who signed up for assistance this year.

Salvation Army officials say they are grateful for all the donations given. The Angel Trees in local communities and businesses sport tags with the names of children who need the joy of a Christmas morning.

Mining City Christmas takes donations from the community to help needy families get food and gifts for Christmas. Traditionally the last two weeks before Christmas raise about 30% of all donations received throughout the drive and Monday donations are running about $76,000.00 behind what the organization had raised at this time previous year.

In Lexington, the 2015 kettle campaign has a goal of $350,000.

The Salvation Army also operates a 36-bed Family Manor Emergency Shelter at its main location in Monroe, which provides a place for homeless individuals and families to stay for up to 90 days.