Salvation Army ringing in the season

Nate Casey, 10, left, and Caiden Casey, 8, wait for pieces of a Salvation Army cake Saturday during the kick off party for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign at the Capital Mall.
Nate Casey, 10, left, and Caiden Casey, 8, wait for pieces of a Salvation Army cake Saturday during the kick off party for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign at the Capital Mall.

The red kettles are out, and the bells are ringing.

The Salvation Army on Saturday gave the formal launch to this year's $270,000 fundraising campaign with a half-hour program at Jefferson City's Capital Mall.

"This is an important time," Jefferson City Commander Christopher White explained, "because we raise a large amount of the funds that we use, not just at Christmas, but throughout the whole year."

Also, White said, this year the Salvation Army campaign "has expanded into the digital realm," with donations possible to the national organization at redkettlereason.com.

White's wife, Lt. Rachel White, told the News Tribune she understands some people think the Red Kettle campaign shouldn't start this early.

"We do kick off a little early, but it's a big goal - and this money has to last us all year-round," she said. "Even if it is two months of bell-ringing and fundraising, we leave people alone pretty much the rest of the year."

As always, the Salvation Army campaign waits until after the United Way has finished its fundraising efforts.

"This community is so giving that we've never had problems asking people to be generous toward charities," Rachel said. "People know what great services we give to the community."

Jefferson City businessman Bernie Fechtel, a Salvation Army board member and this year's campaign chair, told about 50 people gathered at the mall's Center Court: "There's so many people in our community who, when you ask, 'Why do you support the Salvation Army?' will tell you, 'When I was 5 years old, things weren't going so well for our family.

"'And the Salvation Army stepped in and made Christmas for us.'"

He noted the bells are rung so people know donations are being taken.

"And in my mind, The Salvation Army is that bell for so many people who go unnoticed in our community," Fechtel said. "Sometimes we forget that right here, in wonderful Jefferson City, Missouri, there are some people who don't know where they're going to spend the night (or) where they're going to get a bowl of soup for their kids.

"The Salvation Army is that bell that rings out and sees them and gives them hope."

Even if you're not giving money to the bell-ringers you pass, Fechtel said, "At least look the person in the eye and say, 'Thank you.'

"Because that person is standing out in the cold for an hour so that somebody can have a warm bed out of the cold for a night - and that might make all the difference in their lives."

Rachel noted the Lions Club raised $13,795 last year on the one day its members manned the red kettle locations.

"That is amazing," she said, noting Lions' Day this year is Dec. 8.

However, "anyone can sign up to be a volunteer bell ringer - individuals, church groups, families" and can sign up online or by calling The Salvation Army's Jefferson City office, 573-635-1795.

This year, Rachel said, their message focuses on the "Center of Hope" homeless shelter, 927 Jefferson St.

Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler said the shelter is an "invaluable asset" that "forms one of the biggest pillars to The Salvation Army and what they do for our community."

To keep it operating all day, every day, Wheeler said, requires about a half-million dollar investment from The Salvation Army itself plus the work of volunteer staff members and the community.

Saturday's program included presenting the "Red Shield Hero Award" to Huber and Associates, recognizing the company's contributions to shelter operations - including, Wheeler explained, "helping serve the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, running Easter Egg hunts for the shelter families, organizing and funding shelter Christmas parties, adopting shelter children and their families at Christmas, donating furniture to the organization (and) they even went so far as to furnish an apartment for a couple."

Maj. Nancy Holloway is The Salvation Army's Central Missouri Area coordinator, overseeing the separate operations in Jefferson City and Columbia.

"I think there are needs all year-round, in all the various programs - whether it's the Center of Hope or youth outreach," she said. "I think people understand that all the money that's raised here stays here and helps with local programming."