Volunteers for the Christmas Cheer Kettle Campaign for the Salvation Army have been working tirelessly for the past month for this worthy cause. Currently the Kettle goal of $27,000 has only been half met with just four days to go.
As I volunteered last weekend, standing next to the kettle that says Salvation Army on it, the thought struck me that perhaps not everyone knows what the campaign is all about. The Salvation Army is much more than a church, it is a resource for the community’s most vulnerable and the funds from the kettle campaign are used exclusively to provide for those in need at Christmas time and all year round.
The Salvation Army Family Services provides a valuable service to the people of Fernie and the surrounding areas. This includes referrals, connecting with other services in the valley and the Food Bank.
When I see a kettle I think about those who do not have enough money to give their children the Christmas that they deserve, those who cannot afford to put food on the table all year through, I don’t judge or try to figure out why people are in this situation I just think about not being able to feed my family and am thankful that there is this great resource within our community that would be there to help me out. That’s what the Kettle Campaign is all about – a community coming together to help those that for whatever reason cannot help themselves at this point in time.
Over 70 families have applied for a Christmas hamper, which will include food for a week, gifts for the children and the fixings for a Christmas dinner. Approximately 20 families/individuals apply for hampers each week all throughout the year. Without the resources needed to fulfill these requests people in our community will go hungry.
I make this plea not on behalf of the Salvation Army but instead on behalf of those who cannot afford to feed their families this Christmas and beyond. To those of you who have already given, probably countless times at each kettle, thank you. To those of you that were unsure of what the kettle campaign is really all about, I hope this editorial makes it clear. And to all of the volunteers who give of their time during this busy holiday season, congratulations, you are making a difference in our community.
And remember, it is never too late to make a donation if you have somehow overlooked it this year. Send in your mailer, give to a kettle, or stop in at the Salvation Army if you would like to know more about their services before you give.
