Salvation Army Red Deer launches Christmas Kettle Campaign

“It helps us to provide many services, whether it’s food or clothing, sometimes furniture, we have a bed program, we provide new beds for families that are in need. We started a program just over three years ago now where we assist students at the schools,” said Bridger at the launch Thursday inside Bower Place. “We have just over 214 students that are helped every weekend now with food that gets them through Saturdays and Sundays, so that’s 14 different schools in Red Deer that we’re helping out.”

Demand for the programs and services that the Salvation Army offers in Red Deer is also on the rise, says Bridger.

“We’ve seen a 15 per cent increase over the last year, families and individuals. At Christmas time last year, we helped 221 families and 23 seniors with the Adopt-A-Family program and the need we believe is going to be much greater again this year,” he says.

Bridger says Red Deerians have been very generous to their Christmas Kettle Campaign over the years, setting fundraising records in the last three.

“We anticipate the giving will continue again this year and we just want to thank the people of the area for the tremendous support and I know they credit us for doing wonderful work, but we can’t do anything without the support of the people around Red Deer.”

You can help by donating what you can at one of the 10 kettle locations, or by texting HOPE2010 to 45678. An automatic $5 donation will be made to the Salvation Army Red Deer.

This year’s kettle locations are at Parkland Mall, Bower Place, Deer Park Co-Op, Save On Foods East Hill, Walmart North, Canadian Tire South, Walmart South, Real Canadian Superstore and Independent Grocer in Clearview Market.

To volunteer for kettle duty, call 403-346-2251 and ask for Debbie. Two-hour shifts are requested of volunteers, with roughly 1,300 two-hour shifts needed to fill.

Red Deer’s Christmas Kettle Campaign runs from November 16 to December 23.

For more information on the Salvation Army in Red Deer and their other Christmas events, visit their website here or their Facebook page here.

by Sheldon Spackman

Salvation Army Red Deer launches Christmas Kettle Campaign

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