Kettle campaign exceeds goal
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Hal Whitcomb has never seen anything quite like it.
A longtime supporter of the Salvation Army, Whitcomb relocated to Port Dover earlier this year and was immediately shocked at the support the Sally Anne garners within our community.
“I’m new to the area, I just moved here in August and the difference from the campaigns I was involved in in the past is extraordinary,” said Norfolk’s new coordinator of the Christmas Kettle Campaign. “The generosity of the population, of the community here is really heartwarming.”
Whitcomb was able to describe the 2018 campaign in a single word – “fantastic”.
“The number of volunteers increased over last year (between 150-160) which is a tough thing to do – the promotion we got from the newspaper and the radio station really helped with that,” Whitcomb said. “Directly as a result of that, we were able to go past our target.”
That target was $100,000 – which Whitcomb admits was an aggressive goal. In total, the campaign raised $108,000 thanks in large part to a pair of major factors.
“There were two keys, one is the volunteers and in particular the service clubs and service groups around Norfolk really pitched in and stepped up for us,” said Whitcomb. “Secondly, it was the overall generosity of the Norfolk community.”
It’s not uncommon for service clubs to pitch in and stand alongside kettles for a few hours at a time, but this year was a major group effort. After Salvation Army officials put out a call for volunteers, the likes of the Simcoe Knights of Columbus, Rotary Club of Simcoe, Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise, Port Dover Lions, Port Dover Lioness, Waterford Lions Club and Delhi Rotary Club answered.
The kettle campaign makes up half of the local Salvation Army’s Christmas fundraising. The money goes towards support of its emergency food bank, Christmas Hamper Program, and the provision of necessities to families in need. All funds raised in Norfolk are spent locally.
“To go past that number (of $100,000) means there’s even more people, more families in need that we’ll be able to assist in 2019,” Whitcomb pointed out.
The kettle campaign is an annual tradition that takes place in 115 countries around the world. It was originally established 127 years ago.
Whitcomb credited everyone who donated for making the 2018 version a successful one.
“It’s the people that make the program,” he said. “We just stand out there and make ourselves available – they’re the ones that take the initiative and put the money in the kettles, they’re the ones that are making the difference.”
jrobinson@postmedia.com
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