Salvation Army counts Central UP Red Kettle Campaign donations

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - With the holidays now wrapped up, the final tally for the Red Kettle Campaign in the Central U.P. is being totaled.

By the end of the week, we can expect the total amount from the Salvation Army. Capt. Doug Winters from the Escanaba Salvation Army said the total is looking to be 10 percent lower compared to last year.

Winters said the money raised will go towards many programs.

“The money that we raised this time of year goes to support some of the real visible programs that we have. The Toy Shop giveaway and everyone knows about our pantry services,” Winters said. “But we also use that money to support the Salvation Army year-round, so it helps us keep the doors open throughout the year.”

The goal for the Central U.P. this year was $360,000. While expected to fall short, the U.P. Development Director Cari Detmers said there has been a rise in volunteers.

“This year we had some really great new volunteers for kettles, some really great groups. We implemented a program this year called the Kettle Sponsor Program and we had some fantastic business engagement,” Detmers said.

Detmers said businesses like Vango’s and Fox Marquette participated. She said when a business sponsors a kettle there are multiple benefits.

“We had just a plethora of people that stepped up and they basically sponsored a kettle for the day. So in sponsoring the kettle for the day, they basically donated to the kettle and they brought us kettle ringers,” Detmers said. “So we got a lot of new volunteers this year at the kettles both here in Marquette and Escanaba.”

Detmers said she is already looking to expand the kettle sponsor program for the next holiday season.

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