Without the Salvation Army, there would be a lot more homeless men walking the streets of Thunder Bay each night.
Hundreds more of both sexes would go hungry.
That’s why the organization’s annual Christmas kettle campaign is so important, said Mervyn Halvorsen, the Salvation Army’s director of social services in the city.
The 2011 campaign was officially launched on Thursday at Intercity Shopping Centre, one of seven locations where volunteers will be manning the familiar kettles between now and Christmas Eve.
“This year our goal for Christmas is $150,000, and the only way we’re going to be able to raise that is if you folks in Thunder Bay are able to support as once again, as you’ve done for so many years, so we can support others in the city here,” Halvorsen.
This year’s goal marks a modest increase from last year’s, which was set at $145,000. When all was said and done and the money counted, they raised $150,000 locally.
Given the tough economic times facing charity donors around the world, Halvorsen said he never knows what to expect, but maintains his faith in those in the community to respond to their holiday request once again.
“I must admit I felt a little nervous last year, but Thunder Bay came through, especially during that last week before Christmas. We thought we were going to fall short, but once again Thunder Bay showed its stuff and we hit our target,” Halvorsen said.
The need, like it seems to every year, continues to grow, he added, and it’s not hard to tell. The Salvation Army’s nightly soup van is feeding upward of 150 people a day and the food bank is servicing 450 families a month.
“Even in the school breakfast program the need is really growing. We’ve begun a backpack campaign where the children who come for breakfast will take home a bag for the weekend for themselves for the weekend, and for their siblings,” Halvorsen said, noting the program feeds 30 children a day, five days a week, at St. James Public School.
“We’re trying to help to meet that need, just like the other agencies in Thunder Bay.
In addition to the Intercity Shopping Centre location, kettles can be found at Grandview Mall, the Real Canadian Superstore, Wal-Mart and LCBOs at Arthur Street, Dawson Road and the Thunder Centre.
