Rock the Kettle kicks off holiday donations season

The beginning of the holiday season marks the time of year when scores of Salvation Army volunteers don their red aprons, take up positions near their red kettles and eagerly ring their bells to attract donations for the needy.

To kick off the season, The Salvation Army launched the Rock the Kettle event at the Yuma Palms Regional Center to celebrate the annual tradition, and to highlight the burgeoning need for donations.

"The whole idea is to bring attention to the red kettle and get some local support for what we are doing," said Salvation Army Capt. Jonathan Harvey.

"It's been a tough year. This year has not only hurt donations but even our thrift store has had a tough time simply because the amount of donations coming in the back door haven't been equal to what we need going out the front door."

The Kofa High School Marching Band and a Yuma Fire Department engine with Santa riding on it led a short parade through the Village from Chili’s restaurant to Harkins Theater where a huge red kettle was set up.

Later, a series of local bands and music groups including 30 Miles Out, Uproot, Mellobean, Loaner, the Yuma High Jazz Band and the Yuma Youth Choir rocked their way through the day.

According to The Salvation Army, kettle donations will be used to provide family Thanksgiving dinners for over 1,000 people in Yuma and Somerton, allow the donation of food and toys to over 1,400 families at Christmas and support the year-round programs of The Salvation Army and Boys and Girls Club.

"Its been a rough year but we go into the Christmas season with high hopes the community will pull together for us and make sure families get taken care of," Harvey said, adding the Salvation Army greatly relies on the money earned from the kettles.

"The Kettle Campaign is a big deal for us. It raises a big chunk of our annual budget, so we really want to celebrate that and have a fun day out, instead of being here just to collect money. We wanted to provide some entertainment and some fun stuff for the kids and make it a good place to be."

The Salvation Army is also debuting its new credit card kettle which is being piloted in Yuma this year. Donors may swipe their credit or debit card at the traditional Red Kettle.

Harvey said the kettle campaign sets The Salvation Army up for success for the entire year.

"It sort of dictates what we can do next year. This is our biggest fundraising period of the year, and what we generate in income through the kettles during the holiday season really depicts for us what next year is going to be like as far as the programs and services we are able to provide and how much of them we can provide."

Harvey said The Salvation Army in the Yuma area needs to raise at least $125,000.

"Even though we have the goal of where we need to be, if we exceed that goal it just means our ability to serve is even greater. Costs are higher this year. Everything has gone up, the cost of health insurance and all those kind of things you have to do to run an organization like this, has all gone up."

According to the Department of Commerce, the current unemployment rate in Yuma County is 22. 8 percent, which Harvey said makes The Salvation Army's services even more important.

"Absolutely. One of the interesting things is that we are seeing a different type of person coming to see us. We had a lady who registered with us for Christmas who had just lost her home and was in a situation where she was quite frankly embarrassed to be in our building and to have to ask for help, but the reality was that she knew if she didn't, here kids weren't going to get Christmas this year."

Harvey said those who had held secure jobs and lost them are seeking the aid of The Salvation Army in increasing numbers.

"That is a different type of person to what we’ve seen in the past. People are very desperate and will stand in line for hours and hours waiting to get help, because they didn't want to risk going home for another day and not get it."

Harvey said he needs hundreds of volunteers to ring bells this holiday season. To volunteer, call 783-0181.

Chris McDaniel can be reached at cmcdaniel@yumasun.com or 539-6849.