Kettle Campaign kicks off, could use a few more volunteers

BY BRENT FOX

NovaNewsNow.com

The traditional kettles are ready and the volunteers are primed. Good thing, too; the Salvation Army’s long-time Christmas Kettle Campaign for Kentville, New Minas and Windsor began Friday, Nov. 23.

Based at the Citadel in Kentville, the area Salvation Army has four kettles at New Minas locations, three in Kentville and two in Windsor.

The New Minas locations include the County Fair Mall, Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire and outside the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission. In Kentville, the locations are: Foodland, Save-Easy and the Liquor Commission. In Windsor, volunteers are at the Fort Edward Mall and Liquor Commission.

The kettles will be on station from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. right up to Christmas Eve, but not on Sundays.

Capt. Bradley Reid said the funds are needed for a number of projects, including food assistance at Christmas as well as the rest of the year, sending kids to camp and fuel assistance.

“These are busy times,” says Kettle Campaign volunteer coordinator Lester Harris. He has been volunteering with the effort for 10 years, being the coordinator for the last four.

Harris said the campaign realized $46,000 last year. “That was our best year. Every year, we’ve had an increase,” and more than 90 per cent of the money remains in Kings and Hants counties.

This year, the campaign has a couple more kettles, he noted, which takes a lot of effort, “so we’re looking for more volunteers.” The volunteers are there, he said; it’s just a matter of reaching them.

He’s confident, though, “the people of the Valley sense the need -- this year, especially -- and are very generous.”

Each year the campaign has required about 100 volunteers in Kentville-New Minas and 30 in Windsor. This year, it needs an additional 25 or 30 volunteers.

And not all volunteers are in the Salvation Army. Only about 30 per cent are, with the remaining 70 per cent coming from other denominations.

Reid noted the Salvation Army is also conducting its annual Christmas Giving Boxes at the Fort Edward and County Fair malls. People can pick a child’s card from the tree and buy a gift for the boxes.