HOULTON, Maine — While the recent dumping of snow has assured Aroostook County of a White Christmas, local Salvation Army officials fear they may be seeing red this season.
Because Thanksgiving was a week later than usual, collections for the charitable organization are far behind projections, which has Salvation Army Envoy Damon Hayward concerned about his ability to provide heating assistance this winter.
“We are extremely far behind in the kettles this year,” Hayward said. “As of yesterday (Dec. 13), we are $26,038 behind last year and $21,203 behind this year’s goal.”
With one less week to collect funds from shopping center locations, Hayward said he was hoping for a surge in public response to reach the Red Kettle Campaign goals in the area.
“No other way to say it, but without a miracle in the next nine days the decision will have to be made to restructure and cut assistance programs,” he said. “We do not want to go in the direction of restructuring and cutting, because this means that some people will not be able to receive emergency assistance from the Salvation Army in 2014.”
The loss of a full week of kettle income is having a significant impact on funds raised this year. Extremely cold temperatures have also played a part as people are more inclined to rush past the bell ringers to hurry into a store or back to their vehicle.
The problem is not isolated just to Aroostook County. Across the region, donations appear to be down.
“We are $60,000 behind compared to last year’s income at this time,” said Major James LaBossiere, divisional commander for northern New England.
Funds raised through the familiar red kettles are vital to The Salvation Army’s programs and services. This year’s campaign goal in Maine is $814,650 as Salvation Army leaders attempt to meet a huge upsurge in demands for help because of a lagging economy. Falling short of the goal may have a long-term impact.
In Maine, The Salvation Army’s Christmas ministry includes the distribution of toys to needy youngsters, food baskets and food vouchers, warm winter coats and so much more during the rest of the year. Last year, the group assisted 55,000 individuals, 25,000 during the holidays.
The funds raised from the kettle campaign go to the Salvation Army’s general fund to be used for heat, rent or food assistance for individuals and families in need. An estimated 130-140 families are in need of support each year in central and southern Aroostook County.
The one thing that the funds are not used for is purchasing toys for the holidays. Instead, any toys that are distributed to families are collected through the Salvation Army’s “Angel Trees,” which have tags bearing a needy child’s age and a toy they would like to receive this Christmas. Some tags also feature the names of adults and small items they might need.
Angel Trees are located at Kmart and JC Penny in Presque Isle and Walmart and Mardens in Houlton.
In the past good Samaritans have called the Salvation Army and offered to “adopt” a family for the holiday, providing presents for both the children and adults.
Finding enough people to be bell ringers is another problem, Hayward said. Often times, the Salvation Army has to hire individuals to work the kettles at key locations because there simply are not enough people volunteering. Kettle ringers are needed six days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Members of local Rotary clubs and the Masons, as well as employees from many area banks, and various fire departments, typically are the groups that volunteer their time. But individuals may also volunteer to ring the bell. The Salvation Army typically has more than 100 volunteers on a yearly basis.
Hayward encourages any families, or groups who want to volunteer for shifts to call him at 538-5284.
History of the Kettle Drive
The following information is from the Salvation Army’s website:
“In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. He only had one major hurdle to overcome — funding the project.
“Where would the money come from, he wondered. He lay awake nights, worrying, thinking, and praying about how he could find the funds to fulfill his commitment of feeding 1,000 of the city’s poorest individuals on Christmas Day. As he pondered the issue, his thoughts drifted back to his sailor days in Liverpool, England. He remembered how at Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.
“The next day Captain McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, ‘Keep the Pot Boiling.’ He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.
“Six years later, the kettle idea spread from the West Coast to the Boston area. That year, the combined effort nationwide resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy. In 1901, kettle contributions in New York City provided funds for the first mammoth sit-down dinner in Madison Square Garden, a custom that continued for many years. Today in the U.S., The Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods.
“Captain McFee’s kettle idea launched a tradition that has spread not only throughout the United States, but all across the world. Kettles are now used in such distant lands as Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries. Everywhere, public contributions to Salvation Army kettles enable the organization to continue its year-round efforts at helping those who would otherwise be forgotten.”
The Salvation Army’s main office is located at 12 Court St., Houlton.
