Havre Salvation Army behind in Red Kettle Campaign

The Salvation Army Havre Service Center is close to $10,000 short from its goal of $28,000 for this year's Red Kettle Campaign, although a pledged donation by a local service club will help a bit.

Havre Salvation Army Social Services Director Trina Crawford said it is important that the Salvation Army meets its goal because the money raised in the Red Kettle Campaign goes directly back into the community.

"Last year we didn't make our goal either and, because of us not making our goal, we had to turn quite a few people away to help because we just didn't have the funding to help," Crawford said Tuesday. "So it's really important for us to make that $28,000 goal this year.

"The cost of inflation is definitely getting higher but the needs don't go away," she said.

The Havre Lions Club is donating a $1,500 match to the campaign, but Crawford said more is needed.

She said making the $28,000 goal would allow the Salvation Army to help more people than it was able to help last year. The big thing that they are seeing, she added, is an influx of requests for assistance for people who are about to lose their rentals.

In the past week alone, she said, they have helped five different families with rental assistance.

Crawford said the majority of people they help in the Salvation Army Service Center are working people who are having trouble making ends meet.

Since Nov. 16, when the Havre Red Kettle Campaign started for the year, she said, bell ringers have collected $19,741.45. Last year at this time, they had raised approximately $24,000, she said, putting the drive behind more than $4,500 from last year.

She added that the kettles have been averaging approximately $789 a day.

The Salvation Army determines their goals for the Red Kettle Campaign by looking at what the previous year's goal was and adjusting for the cost of living and inflation, Crawford said.

The money raised in the Red Kettle Campaign goes to hard services provided by the Service Center like rental assistance and paying for hotel rooms, she said. If the Salvation Army meets this year's goal they will have $2,300 for those services.

Last year, the Salvation Army also fell short of its goal of $26,000, which resulted in only $1,900 for hard services, $200 less than what they needed, she said.

If the Salvation Army doesn't meet their goal this year, Crawford said, they will be faced with hard decisions on what to help with and what not to help with.

"Which is never fun," she added.

Crawford said the Red Kettle Campaign will run through Dec. 24 at the three locations in town, Havre Walmart Supercenter, Gary & Leo's Fresh Food and North 40 Outfitters.

She added that people can also still make their donations to the online Red Kettle on the Salvation Army website at https://havre.salvationarmy.org/.

Crawford said she cannot see how much has been donated on the online kettle until the end of the donation period because the program is run through the territorial headquarters.

She said they are especially grateful for people making $1,000 gifts to the Red Kettle Campaign.

"That is greatly appreciated," Crawford said.

The Havre Lions Club rings for the Red Kettle Campaign every year, Crawford said, and matches the Salvation Army up to $1,500 in donations, which they plan to deliver this week.

"That's $1,500 into the kettles," Crawford said. "... That's definitely going to be a boost.

"We are just so fortunate that the Lions make a match and that really helps us tremendously," she added. "Their enthusiasm and willingness to take a day every year is just amazing and wonderful."

She added this year the Lions also raised more than $1,800 for the Salvation Army Giving Tree.

Crawford said that several other organizations and clubs have volunteered as bell ringers for a day to the Red Kettle Campaign, including the Kiwanis Club, which donated a day at the North 40 kettle raising $106.30; District 4 Human Resources Development Council, which donated a day at all three locations and raised $803.93; Knights of Columbus, which raised $877.33, and Van Orsdel United Methodist Church, which donated a day at all three locations and raised $607.51.

One of the returning bell ringers this year is Mary Saboe, who has volunteered for the past five years.

Saboe said she likes to volunteer and enjoys seeing everyone every year, adding that it is important for community members to volunteer and hopes that more will join next year.

Crawford said Saboe has rung eight days so far this year and has raised $582 alone, and Saboe, like many other volunteers, is just what the Salvation Army needs.

"They are greatly appreciated and we love having them," Crawford said.