Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign needs help

The Havre Salvation Army says it hopes that the warm hearts of people in the region will overcome the cold weather hitting the area and cutting into donations during its annual Red Kettle campaign.

“We are really desperately hurting for both money and bell ringers,” Havre Salvation Army Social Services Director Trina Crawford said Thursday. “ … We are hoping people will be a little more generous at the kettle. That is my hope and prayer.”

The weather dropped from unseasonably warm temperatures last week to single-digit highs and sub-zero lows this week. Those temperatures remain in the forecast the rest of the week and into next week.

Crawford said that already has cut into the fundraising in the Red Kettle Campaign. The Havre donations are $3,000 behind what they were at this time next year, in the middle of a push to increase donations to help fund a new service.

She said that last year, people donated $26,921, but this year the Havre campaign hoped to raise $36,000 to help pay for a new service to help people from the local community overcome addictions.

Crawford said the additional $10,000 — or more than that, if raised — would be used to help pay a match for a grant Salvation Army is using for the program. The Hill County Detention Center is providing the grant funds to Salvation Army, but if it cannot raise the match, it can’t use the $10,000 grant.

“Quite a few people are enrolled and doing quite well, so we see that it’s working,” she said. “We just have to continue it.”

“… It’s really huge that we have that extra money,” she added.

But the campaign has to raise at least the $26,000 for Salvation Army to continue its other work, Crawford said.

That includes providing energy assistance, rental assistance, transportation assistance and other help, she said.

“If we see a need we try to break down the barriers so they can become more successful in our community,” Crawford said.

Along with the donations, Salvation Army also is looking for more people to be bell ringers, she said. Even before the cold weather put a crimp into sending people out to ring bells, the campaign was short, Crawford said.

She said people who want more information or want to volunteer can call 265-6411, leaving a message at extension 102 if they get the answering machine.

People who want to make donations can donate at the bellringers’ kettles or can drop donations at the thrift store on Third Street,  making sure the donation is marked as going to the kettle campaign.

Crawford said she is sure people will step up and help with local donations — just as they have in the past — All of its operations are from local donations.

“People always have been fabulous,” she said.