This year’s Salvation Army Christmas Kettle campaign is well underway and local officials have their sights set on a pretty lofty goal.
The annual campaign, which kicked off Nov. 17, helps raise much-needed funds for the local charitable organization, explained Maj. Bruce Shiran, executive director of the Salvation Army Barrie Bayside Mission.
“The Christmas Kettle campaign is one of our major fundraising events to support our operations, ensure all of our programs and services are provided to the community and to ensure that we are able to provide for their needs whether it be through our Community Family Services programs, Community Food Services programs or residential shelter programs,” he said. “Incomes we secure through the Christmas Kettle campaigns support those programs.”
Beginning today, Shiran told BarrieToday they will have 20 different locations up and running thanks to the more than 70 dedicated volunteers who will be stationed around the city to take donations.
For 2022, Shiran said they have set a pretty ambitious goal of $650,000 and he’s feeling hopeful they can reach it.
“This year, with having all 20 kettles out there in the community, we set the goal a little higher, of course being cognizant that we are in an inflationary period … and that certainly may impact things,” he said. “The fact the campaign hasn’t been running at full capacity over the last couple of years, we are hoping people will still be generous to the Salvation Army and support us in our goal.”
The goal, he noted, is set by the Barrie Bayside Mission with 100 per cent of the money collected staying in the city.
This will be the first time in two years that volunteers will be back out in full force, Shiran acknowledged, telling BarrieToday they are extremely excited about this year’s campaign.
“It’s one of those campaigns where people can really interact with individuals," he said.
During the week, the kettles will be set up for eight hours, with volunteers taking on two hour shifts. On Thursday and Fridays, they will be set up for 10 hours each day, said Shiran, adding even though they have a pretty healthy number of volunteers, more are always welcome.
“We can always use more volunteers for the campaign so if there are individuals out there that would like to support and assist us by volunteering, they can contact our office here,” he said.
To make donating easier, all 20 locations will have the TipTap option, a wireless system that will allow to make a donation using your debit or credit card, and various businesses around the city will also have countertop Kettle Boxes, he noted.
The campaign will run until Christmas Eve.
Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to call the office at 705-728-3737.
