When it comes to the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle campaign, time isn’t money. People are money.
“If there’s no one at a kettle saying merry Christmas or ringing the bell, people walk right by,” said Rick Reigner, development director at the Salvation Army Elgin Corps. “No ringer equals no donations.”
To get the volunteers it needs, the organization held its annual kickoff mixer on Tuesday at Old Republic in Elgin, roughly a month earlier than usual.
The event, which included members from three local chambers of commerce, featured food, live music, a 50/50 raffle and giveaways. Between sponsorships, early donations and the proceeds from the evening, the organization put a $15,000 dent in its annual fundraising goal of $235,000.
But more than that, the Salvation Army Elgin Corps hoped to persuade more people to ring the bells at its 35 sites in November and December.
Reigner said the group fell short of its fundraising goal last year because too many kettles went unstaffed.
“Our whole year goes by how well Christmas goes. It’s as simple as that,” Reigner said. “And it doesn’t take a lot for people to step up and ring for a few hours. We don’t need a few people to do a lot. We need a lot of people do a few (hours).”
That thinking is in keeping with this year’s campaign theme, “Love Beyond/Everything Counts.”
“Whether you can put fifty cents or a quarter in a bucket, whatever you can do, every little thing counts,” Reigner said. “That’s how we approach everything.”
The Red Kettle campaign, which funds the majority of the programs at the Salvation Army, begins Nov. 8. The Elgin Corps has sites in Elgin, South Elgin, Carpentersville, East and West Dundee, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Barrington.
Members from the Northern Kane County, Hoffman Estates and Elgin Area chambers of commerce were encouraged to join the “Ring For Eight Feel Great” campaign, which recruits local businesses and organizations to provide volunteers for eight-hour kettle shifts.
More information is available at centralusa.salvationarmy.org/elgin/ring-for-8-feel-great.
Last Christmas, the Elgin Salvation Army served nearly 700 families, providing over 1,500 children with gifts, pajamas and meals through their Hope for the Holidays program.
Commanding officers Major Roberto Viquez said they expect those numbers to increase.
“It’s not a secret that we have more people coming to our city, more clients seeking help at our doors,” Viquez said. “The need is greater. People are here because they know they can get help from the Salvation Army.”
