Salvation Army’s traditional red kettle campaign begins

STAR JOURNAL REPORT
The Rhinelander Salvation Army’s 2017 Red Kettle Campaign is underway, with bell ringers needed at Trig’s, Shopko and Walmart. The Salvation Army is also planning to welcome Santa Claus to the Rhinelander Trig’s Mall Dec. 9, from 9 a.m. – noon. Santa and his elves will be in the lounge area by the fireplace to visit with children off all ages. One free 5×7″ color photograph will be provided.

The organization’s goal is to raise $40,000, which is raised only through donations and bell ringing. The money is used in the Rhinelander community to provide emergency assistance with housing, transportation and medical needs. Kettle Campaign director Kim Swisher said for every $1 donated, 86 cents stays in Rhinelander; the remaining 14 cents is used for state and national emergency relief efforts.

Area Churches for Emergency Services, or Rhinelander ACES, manages the donations to serve the community in a united effort. Churches include Calvary Baptist, Congregational UCC, First United Methodist, Grace Foursquare, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Nativity of Our Lord, North Country Vineyard and Trinity Lutheran.

Anyone interested in ringing can sign up for a shift online at SARhinelander.org. To ring at Shopko, call Jan Leschke at 715-362-7157.

Ringing shifts at Trig’s and Walmart are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Each shift is 90 minutes. Donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 1081, Rhinelander, 54501

For more information, contact Kim Swisher, Red Kettle Campaign Coordinator, at 715-437-0465 or rhinelandersa@gmail.com.