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Kettle Campaign off to a great start

Nov 28, 2016 | 1:00 PM

The Christmas Kettle Campaign is off to a ‘great start’ according to staff at the local fundraiser.

The annual campaign started on Nov. 25 to raise money and toys for local families in need. Lieutenant Laura Van Schaick with the Salvation Army said the group received positive responses from Prince Albert community.

“It was wonderful to see people’s smiling faces wishing us Merry Christmas, putting in those coins, and (I was) just encouraged by the generosity,” she said.

Van Schaick said they are still counting the amount of the donation, and the result for last weekend would likely to come out by the end of Monday.

This year the campaign will give out gift cards for local grocery stores and toys for children aged 12 and under. Van Schaick said the first group of toys collected already filled up the back of their pick-up truck with Barbie dolls, Lego and toy dump trucks.

She said the campaign had a good start thanks to the volunteers.

“Volunteers are imperative to the kettle campaign,” she said. “We couldn’t do what we do in the community without the help of volunteers at Christmas time and all year round. And we are so thankful.”

The campaign is still recruiting new volunteer members.

“Whether it’s raising money through the kettles to ensure that we can provide Christmas dinner and toys for families, or whether it’s coming to help pack Sunshine Bags that we are going to be delivering to the prisons and to nursing homes, there are so many ways that you can get involved,” Van Schaick said. “And when you give back to others…you really gain a lot for yourself as well. And it just gives you the sense of a community at Christmas.”

To ensure the donations could go to local families in need of financial support, proof of Prince Albert address would be required for registration of the hampers. Other required documents at the registration include ID for everyone in the household, photo ID for the adult who’s registering and proof of income and expenses.

Registration must be done in person.

 

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