The Melfort Salvation Army kettle campaign kicked-off with a $1000 donation from Fedusiak Funeral Chapel. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

Giving Hope

Melfort and Tisdale Salvation Army break fundraising records over the holidays

Jan 27, 2021 | 12:20 PM

The amount of funds raised for the Salvation Army kettle and Christmas hamper campaigns in the area was surpassed in a big way this year.

In Melfort, $74,000 was raised while Tisdale brought in just under $21,000. Last year’s total for Melfort was $46,000.

Captain Rick Robins told northeastNOW the community came together to overcome the varying challenges of the pandemic year.

“When a challenge arises, we find it, we meet it, and we defeat it,” Robins said. “I think it is a good sense of hope for us all in our region that we can do this and we can do it all together.”

Many fundraisers saw a different format while some could not happen at all but despite all of that, both communities were able to bring in what was needed for funds and then some.

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An online auction through Bruce Schapansky Auctioneers brought in over $6,000 as well.

The funds will help with programs offered by the army such as family and community services which has seen a 60 per cent increase over the last three months.

“We can continue our support to those with COVID-19, those without, to those who are not working because of COVID-19, and just people that are being effected by what is going on in our world today,” Robins said.

Prior to the Salvation Army slogan, ‘Giving Hope Today’ was ‘hand to God, hand to man,’ according to Robins.

“We are there to help people up, not keep them down but help them up from where they currently are so they have a chance to succeed as everyone else does,” Robins said.

The thrift stores in Melfort and Tisdale have been able to operate and have staff working after being shut down for three months at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also helps with keeping some funds coming in throughout the year.

Robins said while they do appreciate the item donations to the store, he wanted to remind anyone that has items for them, to drop them off during the drop-off centre operating hours. Some donations have needed to be thrown out because they are left outside of the door and then damaged by the elements.

The Melfort drop-off centre is open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and in Tisdale Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Arrangements can be made for alternate drop-off if those times are not convenient at 306-752-2535.

The funds raised this year through the campaigns would not have been possible without sponsors, volunteers that helped working kettles as well as those who helped with the Christmas hampers for families, and the community as a whole.

“Our volunteers are the army behind the army in the Salvation Army,” Robins said. “Thanks to this great community for the support and trust in us as we are in a new year of challenges.”

Along with challenges come new opportunities and Robins hopes that the focus can be on the opportunities that come through those challenges.

“We can’t choose what happens to us but we can choose how we react to it and I hope that we choose to react in peace and with grace and love,” he said.

Over the past 25 years, over $1 million has been given back to the community.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser