Salvation Army Nanaimo is hoping for more jingling of bells and clinking of money for its 2017 Christmas Kettle Drive.
The annual campaign sees volunteers, ringing bells and manning kettles, collecting money for the non-profit’s charitable activities, and Dawne Anderson, Salvation Army Nanaimo fundraising coordinator, said more people are needed. On average, there are about 40 to 50 empty spots per day, she said.
“The shifts are two and a half hours in length and they’re standing at the location … Ringing the bells, giving people a smile as they walk by, so that they’re encouraged to stop and put money in and give them a little token with an encouragement card or a pocket calendar as a thank you.”
Anderson said there are 26 kettle locations at numerous locales, including at Nanaimo shopping centres, Casino Nanaimo and grocery stores.
“All the kettle money that it brings in helps support the work that we do,” Anderson said. “[It helps] at the New Hope Centre with our emergency shelter, our meal program that serves over 80,000 meals a year, our emergency services with our food hampers, clothing … The whole work that we do downtown is what is supported through our kettles,” she said.
Anderson said $242,000 was raised last year and the goal is $250,000 this year.
“Something that people may not recognize is that businesses can come on board,” said Anderson. “We have service clubs, we have businesses that will take a day and then they let their staff go for an hour at a time, so it’s not like they have to commit to a two-and-a-half-hour shift themselves.”
The campaign goes until Dec. 23. For more information, go to www.salvationarmynanaimo.com or call 250-740-1004.
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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