The Salvation Army will begin its annual Christmas Kettle Campaign Nov. 24 at the Yorkton Terrier game as the local Junior ‘A’ team hosts rival Melville.
Lieutenant Samuel Tim explained the night will be a dual event, with the kettle campaign kicking off with the always popular Teddy Bear Toss where Terrier fans throw new plush toys on the ice after the home team scores its first goal of the game. The toys are collected and distributed by the Salvation Army as part of Christmas hampers to children.
This year there will be five locations for kettles, said Tim, including Save On Foods, Parkland Mall, Superstore, Wal-Mart and the Liquor Board Store.
The kettles will be manned at the five locations until Dec. 23, and Tim said they are looking for volunteers to work some shifts. Anyone interested in helping out can contact Gwen at 306-744-2442.
With the kettle campaign starting soon, it is also time for families to apply for hampers if they are in need, said Tim. There are applications available at the food bank location on Betts Avenue. There are two streams for applicants, one needing some help with a food hamper and the other if they also have children in need of some toys as presents.
“We want to make sure kids aren’t left behind, that they have a good Christmas,” said Tim.
The need for hampers seems to grow every year, with more than 300 families helped in 2016.
Tim said the increase seems to be coming from those he termed “the working poor.” They have a low income job and can manage most of the bills most of the time, but special items like a turkey for Christmas dinner, or presents for the children may not be manageable.
The same working poor also have greater difficulty covering their bills in winter when some of the food budget may go into paying the heating bill, or funding Christmas, he said.
That is why the kettle campaign is so critical, because it funds not just the Christmas hampers, but programming throughout the year, said Tim, who added the goal this year is to raise $45,000 with the month-long kettle campaign, a significant chunk of the annual fundraising goal of $135,000.
“We want to thank the community for how generous it is,” he said.
The food hampers will be distributed Dec. 12, at the Food Bank, with the toys going out Dec. 14, from the church. Tim said in the case of the toys some volunteer help to get them ready would be appreciated.
In terms of toys, Tim said they can always use more donations appropriate for the 12-14 age range.
“We struggle to find stuff for them,” adding it is an age group where gift cards work well. “They can go buy what they want.”
Toys can be dropped off at the Food Bank, or with anyone manning a kettle.
