Salvation Army to collect donations at Frank’s Piggly Wiggly and BP
By Vicky Wedig
Staff Writer
The Salvation Army needs volunteers to ring bells for its Red Kettle Campaign that begins Nov. 21 and runs through Dec. 24.
Bells are run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at each location on 19 days between Nov. 21 and Dec. 23 and from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 24. Ringers are needed for 164 hours over the 19 1/2 days of the campaign. Bell ringers are needed at Frank’s Piggly Wiggly and the BP in East Troy from Nov. 28 to Dec. 19.
“The shifts are two hours and at times that can fit most people’s schedule,” East Troy organizer A.J. Nyffeler said. “During your shift, you will meet many of your friends and neighbors and experience the warmth and generosity of the East Troy community. We will be making calls to past volunteers but ask anyone interested in joining this most worthy cause.”
East Troy is one of six communities that host the Red Kettle Campaign in Walworth County.
“The generosity of the community last year raised between $4,000 and $5,000 over the four weekends that we were active,” Nyffeler said.
Bell ringers are also stationed at Sentry stores in Elkhorn, Walworth and Whitewater; Piggly Wiggly stores in Elkhorn, Lake Geneva and Delavan; and Walmart stores in Lake Geneva, Delavan and Whitewater; and the Shopko in Delavan.
Last year in the six municipalities, $78,808 was donated during the campaign, said David Fieldstone, who coordinates the Delavan volunteers. More than $35,000 was generated in Delavan alone, he said.
The funds generated throughout the county are distributed evenly among the six communities, Fieldstone said. He said 86 percent of the funds come back to the county, and each community has its own outlet that distributes the funds to people in their communities in need.
Funds in Delavan are distributed through Human Concerns. Last year, the organization received about $14,000, which was not enough to meet the community’s need, said Bill McKoy, a member of Human Concerns
Delavan Human Concerns distributes more than $100,000 annually and runs out of Salvation Army funds by September, McKoy said.
Salvation Army funds are used to pay for housing and utilities for families in need. Each family may receive $300 in assistance one time in a 12-month period.
From Oct. 1, 2014, through Sept. 30, the Salvation Army provided $69,941.13 to assist 923 people in Walworth County. The funds distributed were:
- $22,977.90 for emergency lodging to 85 individuals and 45 families (231 people);
- $20,839 in rental assistance to 43 individuals and 81 families (347 people);
- $23,416.58 in utility assistance for 59 individuals and 96 families (304 people);
- $1,837.81 for car repairs and transportation for 23 people;
- $653.69 for medical prescriptions for seven people;
- $216.15 for food assistance to 11 people.
Thirteen Delavan churches and organizations provide volunteers for the campaign. Among the organizations that will provide bell ringers this year are the Civil Air Patrol, 4-H clubs and Boy and Girl Scouts. However, the Salvation Army also needs individuals to volunteer to man kettles for one- and two-hour shifts. Anyone interested in volunteering may contact David Fieldhouse at (262) 728-6519.
Those interested in volunteering in East Troy can call Nyffeler at (262) 642-3385 or Mark Smith at (262) 352-8552.
Editor Tracy Ouellette contributed to this report.
