Why $10,334?
Almost as soon as I set up an online Salvation Army kettle, I began to recieve e-mails asking me about my goal of $10,334. Why not a nice, round number, or something easier to achieve?
This number comes from my own personal history. I've been ringing bells for the Salvation Army post in Tempe, Arizona since I was a teenager. This is my 23rd year with this post. I've raised a lot of money for my post over the years, but there is one record which I have never broken.
23 years ago, my very first year as a bellringer, on the day after Thanksgiving, I had the fattest kettle of my life. There was $10,333.54 in there. If you think that sounds like a lot for a first-timer, you're right! Most of that came from a check for $9,999. However, I have heard of much larger Salvation Army kettles in other towns.
In 22 years of bell-ringing since that day, I have never even come close to breaking that record. This new online kettle gives me a chance to attempt to do so. What's more, donors can use my kettle to donate to their own local post, my post, or any other post as they desire. The money goes where you want, but still counts toward my record-breaking attempt.
The Tempe, AZ post is located on the corner of Myrtle and University, just one block from Mill Avenue and across the street from Arizona State University. Although it does not operate a homeless shelter, it still serves a large number of homeless, helps families with bills and provides church services every Sunday.
Not much food is available at this post, but homeless are given 2 bags of food per week. We also arrange places for them to get showers, provide them with toiletries, provide clothing as available, help them to replace lost identification and birth certificates, provide credit counseling, give them a place to recieve their mail, and also help them in many other ways. We also participate in and serve as the assembly point for a program which houses a few homeless people in a different church every night, which gets us around some restrictions on homeless shelters in Tempe. We are also hoping to raise enough money this season to buy them all backpacks and blankets.
A few months ago, the Tempe post suffered major storm damage. Although the national fund helped us to repair the roof, the repairs are not yet completely paid for.
Of course, I would be lying if I told you that none of this money will be used for partying. Every year, we host Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for the homeless. This is a tradition at all Salvation Army posts. We also want to be able to give turkeys to needy families.
This pretty much sums up how we will use donations at the Tempe, AZ post. Many other posts across the nation use their money in similar ways, quite possibly including the post in your own town. Many other posts also operate homeless shelters, schools, and other large-scale projects. Feel free to use my kettle to donate to one of these other posts, if you wish.
...and don't ever let them tell you that you can't say "Merry Christmas!"
This number comes from my own personal history. I've been ringing bells for the Salvation Army post in Tempe, Arizona since I was a teenager. This is my 23rd year with this post. I've raised a lot of money for my post over the years, but there is one record which I have never broken.
23 years ago, my very first year as a bellringer, on the day after Thanksgiving, I had the fattest kettle of my life. There was $10,333.54 in there. If you think that sounds like a lot for a first-timer, you're right! Most of that came from a check for $9,999. However, I have heard of much larger Salvation Army kettles in other towns.
In 22 years of bell-ringing since that day, I have never even come close to breaking that record. This new online kettle gives me a chance to attempt to do so. What's more, donors can use my kettle to donate to their own local post, my post, or any other post as they desire. The money goes where you want, but still counts toward my record-breaking attempt.
The Tempe, AZ post is located on the corner of Myrtle and University, just one block from Mill Avenue and across the street from Arizona State University. Although it does not operate a homeless shelter, it still serves a large number of homeless, helps families with bills and provides church services every Sunday.
Not much food is available at this post, but homeless are given 2 bags of food per week. We also arrange places for them to get showers, provide them with toiletries, provide clothing as available, help them to replace lost identification and birth certificates, provide credit counseling, give them a place to recieve their mail, and also help them in many other ways. We also participate in and serve as the assembly point for a program which houses a few homeless people in a different church every night, which gets us around some restrictions on homeless shelters in Tempe. We are also hoping to raise enough money this season to buy them all backpacks and blankets.
A few months ago, the Tempe post suffered major storm damage. Although the national fund helped us to repair the roof, the repairs are not yet completely paid for.
Of course, I would be lying if I told you that none of this money will be used for partying. Every year, we host Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for the homeless. This is a tradition at all Salvation Army posts. We also want to be able to give turkeys to needy families.
This pretty much sums up how we will use donations at the Tempe, AZ post. Many other posts across the nation use their money in similar ways, quite possibly including the post in your own town. Many other posts also operate homeless shelters, schools, and other large-scale projects. Feel free to use my kettle to donate to one of these other posts, if you wish.
...and don't ever let them tell you that you can't say "Merry Christmas!"
posted by LordXenophon at 12:17 PM
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