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Christmas kettle campaign kicks off
Monday, 1 December 2008 - 3:10pm
Today marks the beginning of the three-and-a-half week campaign aimed at collecting monetary donations from shoppers for the less fortunate of the district.
All the proceeds will go towards the Salvation Army’s Christmas hamper program and to providing holiday help to those who need it.
Depending on the number of volunteers available to man the kettles, they will be out at area businesses Monday through Saturday until Dec. 24.
Capt. Angel Sandoval of the Salvation Army said many more helping hands are desperately needed to fill up the bell-ringing schedule in the coming weeks, stressing all district residents can get involved, not just citizens of Fort Frances.
The Salvation Army, after all, covers the entire district.
He added it doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are as long as you have the time to donate. People are asked to sign up for two-hour shifts, if possible.
Businesses are encouraged to get involved, having staff take turns ringing the bells for a good cause, as are service clubs, churches, and other organizations.
Participating sites this year include The Place, Canadian Tire, LCBO, Canada Safeway, Wal-Mart, and local banks.
The Salvation Army kettle campaign has a long history. It started in the 1890s in San Francisco, when Salvation Army Capt. Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals were going hungry.
During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the poverty-stricken, but had no money to do so.
As he pondered his dilemma, he recalled his sailor days in Liverpool, England. At Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” into which passers-by tossed spare coins to help the poor.
The next day, Capt. McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read “Keep the Pot Boiling.”
He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.
The kettle campaign has since spread across the North America and then the world, and continues to be a major fundraiser for the Salvation Army each year.
By Duane Hicks, Staff writer
Local Christmas shoppers once again will be greeted by the jingling of bells this holiday season.
The Fort Frances Salvation Army kicked off its annual Christmas kettle campaign this morning at Canadian Tire, with deputy mayor Sharon Tibbs on hand to take the first shift.
All the proceeds will go towards the Salvation Army’s Christmas hamper program and to providing holiday help to those who need it.
Depending on the number of volunteers available to man the kettles, they will be out at area businesses Monday through Saturday until Dec. 24.
Capt. Angel Sandoval of the Salvation Army said many more helping hands are desperately needed to fill up the bell-ringing schedule in the coming weeks, stressing all district residents can get involved, not just citizens of Fort Frances.
The Salvation Army, after all, covers the entire district.
He added it doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are as long as you have the time to donate. People are asked to sign up for two-hour shifts, if possible.
Businesses are encouraged to get involved, having staff take turns ringing the bells for a good cause, as are service clubs, churches, and other organizations.
Participating sites this year include The Place, Canadian Tire, LCBO, Canada Safeway, Wal-Mart, and local banks.
The Salvation Army kettle campaign has a long history. It started in the 1890s in San Francisco, when Salvation Army Capt. Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals were going hungry.
During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the poverty-stricken, but had no money to do so.
As he pondered his dilemma, he recalled his sailor days in Liverpool, England. At Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” into which passers-by tossed spare coins to help the poor.
The next day, Capt. McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read “Keep the Pot Boiling.”
He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.
The kettle campaign has since spread across the North America and then the world, and continues to be a major fundraiser for the Salvation Army each year.
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