Published: November 19, 2009 11:34 pm         

Salvation Army kicks off annual Red Kettle campaign

Kroger pitching in to increase donations at Vigo stores

TERRE HAUTE — The Kroger Co. aspires to increase holiday collections at its three stores in Vigo County to help the Salvation Army as it begins its 2009 Red Kettle Christmas Campaign.

The familiar ring of a bell from a Salvation Army volunteer next to a red kettle this year can be heard at 19 locations throughout Vigo County.

The Red Kettle campaign, first started in San Francisco in 1891, is the Salvation Army’s most prominent fundraiser, enabling the organization nationally to provide food, toys and clothing to more than 6 million people during the Christmas season and helps more than 34 million Americans recovering from disasters nationwide.

Dean F. Drilling, manager of 18 Kroger stores, said the central division of Kroger, which includes three Vigo County Kroger stores, “wants to take what we made last year, $754,000, and with a little bit more aggressive engagement at both store level and higher levels, take the central division to about $1 million.”

That is about a 36-percent increase in its collections, Drilling said, adding that it is an ambitious goal during a national recession.

“We think with communication mediums, we can get that done. We will be more encouraging in the community and we are going to utilize some of our current communications with the public,” Drilling said.

The central division has 150 stores, of which Kroger, Drilling said, seeks to have 139 stores participate.

Kroger accounted for nearly 12 percent of the Salvation Army’s kettle collections last year in Vigo County. The Salvation Army collected $117,000, but that was well short of its goal of $137,000, said Envoy Cindy C. Hoag.

The goal is $137,000 again this year, Envoy Gordon Hoag, Cindy’s husband, announced later in the day Thursday as the Terre Haute Salvation Army kicked off its Red Kettle Campaign at Baesler’s Market.

The Hoags have been heading The Salvation Army in Terre Haute since July.

So far, more than 1,500 families have requested assistance this holiday season, Gordon Hoag said.

“The holiday season is often the most challenging time of the year for a lot of families,” he said. “Many people we help are struggling to put food on the table, keep their lights on and keep a roof over their head.”

Mayor Duke Bennett is the chairman of the Red Kettle campaign in Terre Haute.

“We’re hopeful things will get better, but right now times are very difficult,” Bennett said. “We believe this season will be one of the toughest we’ve seen in a very long time.”

The mayor urged those who are able to donate to the Salvation Army Red Kettles to help those less fortunate.

The Salvation Army uses part of its kettle donations to provide food vouchers to low income families and the elderly at Christmas. Proceeds also help fund its year-round programs, Gordon Hoag said.

The Salvation Army is at 234 S. Eighth St.

Gordon Hoag said the Salvation Army needs volunteers to man the kettles. Interested organizations, families and individuals can call the Salvation Army at (812) 232-4081 or volunteer online at saterrehaute.org. For those who can’t donate time, the Salvation Army has an online tool people can use to seek donations from others. They can go to saterrehaute.org, host an online kettle and e-mail the link to family and friends.

The Salvation Army each month is a clearinghouse for United Way and Lifeline, but during the December holiday season, The Salvation Army is the clearinghouse for Toys for Tots for children up to age 12, the Tribune-Star food baskets, Christmas With Police (formerly known as Shop With A Cop), Adopt-A-Family and Bikes for Tykes.

With one agency organizing the programs, serving as a clearinghouse, confusion and duplication of services is reduced, Cindy Hoag said.

On a national level, The Salvation Army is partnering with JC Penney, which is doing an online “angel giving tree program.” It allows people to go online and adopt “angels” from the local community and then shop for items needed by those “angels.”

For more information, go to www.jcp.com/angel.



Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.