The Salvation Army will be kicking off the 2017 Christmas Kettle Campaign Nov. 16 and the community is invited to gather at its Community Life Centre for the celebration.
There will be music, cocoa, cookies, and the ‘first jingle’ of the season by many local celebrities and guests. There will also be guided tours of the Community Life Centre and music provided by Kelowna Christian School under the direction of Connor Murdoch.
“This is our opportunity to showcase our Community Life Centre operations,” said Patty Lou Bryant, Communications Coordinator. “There are many in our community who are not aware of the scope of what we do at the Community Life Centre, and so we would like to take this opportunity to share about our operations. From our casework offices and classroom facilities, to our commercial kitchen and foodbank operations - this is a very active facility that is impacting our community on a daily basis.
RELATED: SALVATION ARMY TOY RUN
In 2016, The Salvation Army assisted over to 600 local families through their Christmas Food and Toy Program, and was able to bring ‘toy joy’ to over 1,100 children and teens through the toy program. This is in addition to the regular assistance provided every day through their two Community Life Centers in Rutland and Westbank. The funds raised through the annual kettle campaign allow The Salvation Army to continue to support the local community at Christmas and throughout the year.
The Kettle Campaign’s success is dependent on the ‘army of volunteers’ that ring the bells, taking a two- hour shift from Nov.16 - Dec.23 at businesses throughout the Central Okanagan. With 5000 volunteer hours to fill, this is a perfect opportunity to Give Hope Today. Shifts are scheduled based on the on the volunteer’s availability, and signing up is easy! Visit www.kelownasalvationarmy.ca, email kettles@kelsa.ca, or call 250-860-2329 x324.
The Salvation Army is located at 200 Rutland Road South.