Kettle drive nearing goal
Salvation Army aiming to raise $75K by Saturday at the Christmas kettles
The Salvation Army’s kettle campaign is on track to collect $75,000 by Saturday, says the co-ordinator.
“I think we’ll hit our target this year,” said Johnathan Sharpe.
The campaign started on Nov. 24. Sharp said that the last tally on Dec. 16 showed $63,311.66 in donations.
Sharp also said that the campaign is ahead of where it was at this time last year: by this point in 2016, roughly $55,000 had been donated.
The rate of giving picked up dramatically over the last week, Sharp said, although he couldn’t explain why.
“The outpouring of support has been so great this year – we want to say thank you so much,” he said. “And it’s all been in this last week.”
Sharp said the donations go to run programs for the needy in Peterborough, such as rehabilitation, counselling and a breakfast program.
None of the donations go to operate the Salvation Army Church – it’s all for programs for local people in need.
The Salvation Army also runs other programs at Christmas: they hold a toy drive, for example, and also hand out hampers full of food.
Their goal for all these programs plus the kettles was $440,000 in donations over the 2017 holiday season.
There’s still time to donate: the kettles will be in locations across the city until Saturday.
Check during business hours at Lansdowne Place, Costco and Walmart on Chemong Rd., and during select business hours at all four LCBOs and Your Independent Grocer.