Read Article
Erica Frederick-Rock, left, and Anna Grant, right, ring bells as Elijah Grant sanitizes the red kettle Dec. 12 at the Walmart Supercenter in Augusta.
Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
AUGUSTA Lewis Ouellet said if it weren’t for support from the local Salvation Army, Christmas wouldn’t be the same for his daughter Kyla-Ann.
“I do landscaping and then I shovel during the winter,” Ouellet said. “I make ends meet and if it wasn’t for them, my daughter wouldn’t have any presents. Bills have to come first.”
Officials from central Maine’s Salvation Army said that many other families like Ouellet’s have been asking for help during the holiday season amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Salvation Army has has deployed its bell ringers for its Red Kettle Campaign the year, but donors have been few and far between compared to previous years.
Red Kettle donations down from normal, volunteer bell ringers needed
wyomingnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wyomingnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Keeping the bells ringing: Salvation Army scrambles to find volunteers
sentinelsource.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sentinelsource.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Thief steals Salvation Army donation kettle, poses as volunteer to collect money By Ashley Bowerman | December 18, 2020 at 8:31 PM CST - Updated December 20 at 8:49 AM
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Montgomery Police Department is on the lookout for a real life Grinch after the Salvation Army reported that one of their red donation kettle’s has been stolen and is now being used for personal gain.
Lt. Bryan Farrington with the Salvation Army said they are not sure how, but someone was able to steal one of their kettles and stands and was last seen in downtown Montgomery posing as an employee trying to collect money for personal use.
This year hasnât been an easy one for The Salvation Army.
According to Major Francko Higdon, who leads the Paris branch with his wife, Martha, the need is greater than ever, but donations are down.
âThereâs even people calling today to be put on the Angel Tree,â he said in an interview on Thursday. âThe needs are up.â
Because of the pandemic, many are struggling to find extra work to even make ends meet, let alone celebrate Christmas. The Salvation Army had over 400 people sign up for the Angel Tree, a campaign that helps collect donated gifts for those in need. As of Thursday, they still had around 100 angels left on the tree, located at the entrance in Walmart.