If you are wondering if you would enjoy ringing the bell at the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle, just ask Mary Sanders (left) and Tina Kraus. They will tell you, “Yes!”
Cook County’s Service Unit of the Salvation Army launches its annual Red Kettle campaign on Friday, November 28 and volunteer Red Kettle attendants (bell-ringers, singers, etc) are critical to the success of this effort. You can make a real difference by giving an hour or two of your time filling this role. Donations put in the kettles are directly proportional to the number of hours those Red Kettles have kettle attendants.
If you can help make a real difference for folks in Cook County, contact Mary Sanders by phone (218) 387-1729 or email msanders@boreal.org. She will gladly find a time on the Red Kettle schedule that will be convenient for you in Grand Marais at either Gene’s Foods or Johnson’s Foods on weekdays between November 28 and noon on December 24. If you would like to tend a kettle at Tofte General Store, call Polly Erickson (218) 663-7398.
We are grateful to area churches for scheduling a Saturday in the next four weeks to tend a kettle. If you can only help on a Saturday, contact Mary Sanders (see ad on page A5) and she will put you in touch with the church coordinator for a Saturday of your choice. Thanks to Tina Krauz for help in contacting the churches.
In the past year the Cook County Service Unit used the greatest portion ($4,598) of those donations for emergency heating during a hard winter. It’s important to remember that these funds are distributed under carefully considered guidelines.
Donations of $2,038 assisted the Cook County Food Shelf by supplying general hygiene items and by providing weekend snacks for food vulnerable school kids. Emergency transportation needs were met with $870 and $506 covered emergency food directly to some households. The balance of the 2013- 2014 budget met needs in the areas of emergency housing, Christmas baskets, and school supplies.
Recently your local Salvation Army Service Unit met and expressed concern about possible limitations to the 2014- 2015 budget. Under ordinary circumstances, as for those mentioned above, we can spend only up to the amount we raise. Under extraordinary circumstances beyond the ability of our local budget (i.e. a disaster such as a forest fire), the regional Salvation Army would bring assistance. Because of concern about our ability to meet ordinary needs, your local campaign coordinators hope to raise an additional 25 percent over last year’s donations. That would be $12,000. We can only accomplish this goal with your help!
Leave a Reply