The sounds of Salvation Army kettle bells are as much of a Christmas tradition as carols or "rock 'n around the Christmas tree" pop tunes.
The first Kettle Campaign in Canada was held in St. John's, NL, in 1906. Then as now, the needs of the poor, the homeless and the afflicted are great.
Members of the Salvation Army Community Church on Lorne Street are preparing for the 2023 Christmas campaign, which will run from Nov. 17 to Dec. 23.
In 2022, money collected during the campaign paid for 1,200 food hampers. Almost 1,500 children received toys or gift cards.
Kettle funds do not support the church's operational costs, but are used for other projects, including a summer day camp program for children and a neighbourhood food bank.
"We have a desire to impact people on a greater level," Lt. Jeff Robertson said.
"We feed them, but we need to ensure we can help them in a different way to transform them, to help with other needs whether it's running programs such as financial literacy and budgeting and cooking classes, or finding ways to help those who desire to get out of poverty."
The campaign's goal in 2023 is $250,000, but in a perfect world the goal would be closer to $350,000 to meet the need, Robertson said.
"The money that is raised in Greater Sudbury stays here and supports the work of Sudbury ministries,” said Lt. Miya Bradburn, who is also Robertson's wife.
This year food hampers and toys will be distributed to registered families from a storefront in the Southridge Mall. The space is being donated by the mall management and the MacIsaac family.
Registration for assistance started in mid-September and officially ends in early November.
"But we don't turn anyone away," Robertson said.
The Christmas campaign is bolstered by community volunteers who ring the bells at various locations throughout the city or help prepare food hampers.
For security reasons, "we can't raise money in the kettles if there no is one standing beside them," said Robertson, whose family's dedication to the Salvation Army goes back four generations.
A few years ago, the Kettle Campaign began to use devices so people could make donations by tapping their debit or credit card. Donations can also be made through the Salvation Army website.
"Kettle volunteering is a great way for people to support the Salvation Army. No amount of volunteering is too small," Bradburn said.
Volunteer shifts are usually a two-hour commitment.
"We are also looking for groups, businesses, schools and families to hold toy drives," said Robertson, who worked in public relations for Salvation Army for 25 years.
Toy drives can be registered by emailing [email protected].
Before moving to Sudbury in 2022, the couple were lay leaders in Fenelon Falls. They were ordained as pastors this past summer on Canada Day.
The Sudbury church has seen an increase in congregation members including young families and new Canadians.
"It is amazing … the difference languages that are spoken … They feel welcome here and they are stepping up to help," Bradburn said.
There is a Sunday service at 11 a.m.
The new pastors are excited about a new church and multi-use building to be built on Notre Dame Avenue that will allow them to expand their services and programming.
Salvation Army first set up a mission in Sudbury in April 1895. Its history dates back to London, England, in 1865 when Rev. William Booth, a Methodist preacher, and his wife, Catherine, began delivering their message of hope to the forgotten, the homeless, hungry and destitute on the streets where they lived.
The Salvation Army supports people in 130 counties and 400 Canadian communities.
For many years, there was a Salvation Army men's shelter on Larch Street. It closed in 2019 due to lack of finances to operate and upgrade the 62-year-old building.
The Salvation Army does operate Sudbury Cedar Place, an emergency shelter for women and families.
The community is invited to take part in the annual Salvation Army Santa Shuffle on Saturday, Dec. 2 to raise money for the emergency shelter.
The Running Room sponsors the one-kilometre Elf Walk and the five-kilometre Elf Trot. Participants will meet at the Jeno Tihanyi Olympic Gold Pool/Ben Avery Recreational Facilities at Laurentian University Registration will take place at 8:30 a.m. The run will begin at 10 a.m.
For information on how to volunteer for the Kettle Campaign, contact [email protected] or visit the Facebook page.
Vicki Gilhula is a freelance writer. Helpers is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
