(Seguin) — “No donation is too small.” That’s the message this week from volunteers with this year’s Salvation Army Kettle Campaign. With the 2021 campaign set to end in five days, volunteers are hoping to secure those last-minute donations as they believe that in the end, “it all adds up.”
Liz Hilsdorf, a member of this year’s Kettle Crew, says volunteers have been ringing the bell since the day after Thanksgiving. She says everyday folks in Seguin and shoppers from throughout the area have dropped whatever change or dollars they have in those shiny bright red kettles placed outside the doors of the Seguin Walmart store.
She says what many folks might not realize is that all the money dropped in those kettles stays right here to help families who are needing emergency services such as help with food, rent, funeral travel etc.
“One hundred percent of the money that goes into those red buckets here in Seguin actually stays in Seguin, the Guadalupe County area. I always want to let people know that. That really does have an impact. They may also write checks to the Salvation Army in Seguin and those checks will also stay in our community 100 percent,” said Hilsdorf.
Kyle Kraft, who also keeps tabs on each of those pennies that comes in for the Salvation Army, says he hopes those donations continue to come in strong.
He says although the kettle campaign puts the non-profit organization at a good starting point at the beginning of each year, it’s that final stretch of the year that have them worried.
“It’s just the fact that in some years when we don’t necessarily have a great year for the Kettle Campaign, when we get close to the next Christmas season and the Kettle Season, we start running out of funds and have to limit what help we can give to the community. There are other years that we have a really good turnout and we are able to do more for the community so that’s really what this is all keyed for not just because we are money focused but because we are focused on the help that people can get from the money that the people of Seguin and the Seguin area give to the Kettle Campaign so the more successful the Kettle Campaign is, the more we can do to help people,” said Kraft.
Since the beginning of the campaign, dozens and dozens of volunteers, law enforcement, athletic teams, churches, and families have come out to ring the bells in support of this year’s Kettle Campaign. The final day for the bell ringing is this Friday, Christmas Eve.
Donations for the Salvation Army are collected year-round. Those dropping in or sending in checks are asked to include — on the check — that the donation is for the Kettle Campaign. The local office is located at 1201 W. Court St. The office can be reached by calling 830-401-4872.