Elk County Salvation Army kicks off the holiday season

ST. MARYS - The Elk County Salvation Army officially kicked off the holiday season this weekend at Walmart in St. Marys with Project Bundle-Up and the beginning of Red Kettle Campaign season.

The Red Kettle Campaign got underway at Elk County Foods in Ridgway last week. The campaign officially started at Walmart on Saturday and will begin today at Save A Lot in St. Marys and Elk County Foods in Johnsonburg.

Elk County Salvation Army Director Hope Weichman said the Red Kettle Campaign is the single biggest fundraiser of the year for the Salvation Army allowing the organization to help people throughout the year. With all donations staying here in Elk County, the Salvation Army provides assistance to those in need, such as rental assistance, disaster relief, food assistance, and holiday giving, just to name a few.

“Monies raised during kettle season has a huge impact on the assistance that we are able to provide to those in need with utility shut offs, eviction notices, food, and clothing,” Weichman said.

While most people are familiar with the Red Kettle Campaign at Christmas each year, they may not be as familiar with all of these other assistance services the Salvation Army provides throughout the year, such as the Project Bundle-Up.

Project Bundle-Up provides all new winter outerwear, which includes coats, hats, gloves and boots, for children and senior citizens from low-income households.

Kettle-Thon will be held in downtown Ridgway on Saturday, Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Salvation Army canteen truck will be on hand providing coffee, hot chocolate, doughnuts and pizza and will be collecting for the Red Kettle Campaign up and down Main Street that day. Santa and the Grinch will also be visiting and looking for donations for the Red

Kettle Campaign.

The Elk County Salvation Army is still looking for bell ringers to help out at local stores with this year’s Red Kettle Campaign. Volunteers are desperately needed in order to continue to help those in need throughout the year in Elk County.

To volunteer for Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign at 814772-0485.

Photo by Beth Koop Rick Wolff has been a Red Kettle Campaign bell ringer volunteer for Elk County Salvation Army for five years.

Photo by Beth Koop Elk County Salvation Army Director Hope Weichman helped participants in this year’s Project Bundle-Up at Walmart in St. Marys on Saturday.