SIDNEY — The Salvation Army of Sidney and Shelby County is kicking off its annual Red Kettle Campaign with a goal of $50,000.
Beginning Saturday, Nov. 19, the iconic red kettles and bell-ringers will be at Kroger and Food Town, and at Walmart beginning Friday, Nov. 25. The bell-ringers are typically scheduled from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. This year’s campaign also includes countertop kettles at various locations throughout Shelby County. The campaign runs through Dec. 24, 2016.
“The needs of our community are great, so we’ve set an aggressive fundraising goal for 2016,” said Lt. Joseph Hansen. “This is a generous community and I’m confident that with the support of our great retail partners, staff and bell-ringer volunteers, we’ll reach our goal.”
In addition to the Red Kettle locations, donations can be made online via the virtual red kettle http://give.salvationarmyusa.org/goto/Sidney_OH, calling 800-SAL-ARMY or sending a check to 419 N. Buckeye Ave. Donations stay within the community to help fund vital programs and services for those in need.
The Red Kettle Campaign serves as The Salvation Army’s largest fundraising effort and supports regional and local programs such as food banks, youth development programs, emergency disaster relief services and other vital community services.
During the holiday season, people drop money into a red kettle for different reasons. Sometimes a donation is inspired by a personal experience or story and sometimes it’s prompted by the desire to give to a trustworthy organization. The Salvation Army is encouraging people to share their reasons for giving on their social media pages using the hashtag, #RedKettleReason.
There is a great need for volunteers to be bell-ringers during the campaign, and this provides a tremendous benefit to the mission of The Salvation Army, said Hansen. Those who would like to volunteer as a bell-ringer can visit The Salvation Army’s office to select a date, timeframe and location to volunteer.
For questions about volunteering as a bell-ringer, contact Deb Mentges at [email protected]. Volunteers can also contact Hansen at 937-492-8412 or [email protected].
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. On the national level, about 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide. Locally, 90 cents of every dollar donated goes to provide support to greatly needed programs and services. For more information, please visit www.salvationarmycincinnati.org.
