The holiday season is fast approaching and many of us have heard the bells on Baker St. and are already donating to the Salvation Army kettles at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce on Baker St. and at the Chahko Mika Mall by Save-On-Foods.
2015 promises to be a very busy holiday for Nelson businesses, churches, service clubs, and agencies. The Salvation Army has been helping those in need in Nelson for 125 years. Registrations for food hampers and assistance are already up from 2014 and the Army expects to service 375 to 400 families who won’t have a Christmas meal or toys for their children this year without help.
Helping is easy!
As always the kettle volunteers accept cash and cheques with tax receipts issued for contributions that provide the giver’s name and contact information. You can also complete the Please Say “I Care” envelope that arrived in your mail and drop it in one of the kettles.
If you, your service club or office co-workers want to ring the bells on Baker St., just call the officers to schedule an hour or two on a kettle. The mall location unfortunately does not ring bells at the request of mall management.
Internet donations using a credit card are quick and simple — just go to salvationarmy.ca and look for “fill the kettle” to provide your information.
If toys are how you want to help please drop off an unwrapped toy at either the Angel Tree at the mall kettle or at the Church Hall at 601 Vernon St.
The Nelson Bank of Nova Scotia — the bank with a big heart at Ward and Baker St. — is helping by sponsoring a Salvation Army kettle on Friday. The bank has agreed to match all kettle donations made on both days up to a maximum of $5,000 per day.
Just think, when you drop either cash or a cheque into the kettle on either of those days you get a tax receipt for your donation when you provide your name and contact information, the Bank of Nova Scotia matches the donation and the Christmas program gets a double bang for your buck.
It’s time to make sure Christmas happens for everyone.
Pamela St. Thomas, Nelson
