Counter Kettles are a success
To the Editor:
Thanks so much for your gifts to the Salvation Army this past Christmas season. In addition to the newspaper inserts that people have used for several years to make donations, Marion County tried something new this year to help keep more money in the community-little red "Counter Kettles" (a non-bell ringing version of what you may have seen at Wal-Mart).
Kettles were placed at two dozen gracious businesses in both Marion and Hillsboro. Kettles were given good visibility and people chose to give there as well as through the newspaper envelopes.
The advantage of the kettles over the newspaper envelope method is that using the kettles is free. While the newspaper inserts get into many homes, the cost of the inserts cuts into the monies that are given, which of course means less of the money actually gets to help hurting families.
As positive and cooperative and the newspapers organizations have been, we may reduce or eliminate the use of newspaper inserts next year so that more of the money given can go toward what it is given for-helping families in need.
We'll try the kettles again next year for sure. Perhaps we can even expand them into other towns around the county.
Again, thank you for your donations to Marion County's Salvation Army unit. Your generous gifts through the counter kettles will enable us to help additional families keep their lights on, and homes warm.
Stephen Humber
Marion County Unit Treasurer
