Salvation Army needs kettle volunteers in Tillsonburg
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The Salvation Army Tillsonburg needs kettle volunteers.
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The goal for the Christmas kettle campaign is $75,000. Last year the combined kettle and letter fundraising campaigns brought in $178,000, exceeding the 2021 goal of $170,000.
“We are looking for the same kind of support this year,” said Lieutenant Drew Young of The Salvation Army Tillsonburg.
“All of the funds stay local,” said Young, “and they support our different expressions of help such as food, clothing, back-to-school shoes, summer camps and our Christmas food hampers. That’s where a large majority of our funds go back to… just to list a few things.”
John Fisher, one of Tillsonburg’s most devoted kettle volunteers, is not able to participate this year, said Young.
“We will be doing a proper thank you to him.”
Salvation Army Tillsonburg needs to fill an extra 288 hours of shifts this year due to the loss of multiple long-time kettle volunteers.
If you are able to take a shift to help them reach their Christmas kettle fundraising goal, contact local kettle coordinator Joe Acre at 519-842-3231 (extension 103).
Available shifts are two hours each, between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Dec. 24.
Christmas kettles in Tillsonburg will set up at Sobeys, two locations at the Tillsonburg Town Centre mall (in front of Walmart and LCBO), Zehrs and Metro. Chairs are available for volunteers at each kettle.
“We had a few locations in the first three days of our kickoff that didn’t have any volunteers,” Young noted.
The Salvation Army Tillsonburg kicked off its 2022 kettle campaign on Nov. 17 at The Tillsonburg Town Centre.
Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy, speaking at the kickoff, said Salvation Army’s history in Canada goes back to 1882 and the concept of ‘soup, soap and salvation’ grew into the comprehensive social programming they offer today.
The first Christmas kettles were introduced in 1891 in San Francisco, added Young.
“Fast forward 140 years and The Salvation Army is one of the largest non-governmental social service providers here in Canada,” said Gilvesy, noting the Salvation Army services more than 2.6 million people across the country each year.
She said those services include emergency food, seasonal programs including Christmas hampers and back-to-school shoes, as well as funding and support for displaced persons.
“Most importantly, Salvation Army provides hope, caring and compassion… and they are counting on you for your support and your generosity,” said Gilvesy. “All funds raised through the kettle campaign this season remain in Tillsonburg… and the need is growing.”
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