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With just a few short days to go before it wraps up its annual Red Kettle Campaign, the Salvation Army is issuing one last call for volunteers to help them make goal for this year.

According to Major Jeff Strickler, the Austin SA is looking to fill close to 782 volunteer hours yet this week as they move closer to the last day of the campaign, which is Saturday. Strickler is hoping the campaign can keep up momentum in what has been a fairly successful year so far.

“The kettle drive seems to be going fairly well and is on track,” Strickler said Monday afternoon. “Finding bell ringers has always been the big challenge.”

“The last week is usually better, but we have to have the bell-ringers out,” he added.

To date, the campaign has raised around $43,000, over halfway to a goal of $68,000, which will be used to fund programs into the new year.

While gaining volunteers has always been a challenge for the SA, the number is up from 2021, which was still under the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteer numbers remain steady, though, compared to 2022.

Still, Strickler said that he’s seeing increased interest in those wanting to help the SA during this time of year.

“I do think that,” he said. “We’re seeing more clubs, more churches, more groups and organizations helping us.”

And even if groups or clubs still can’t get out as an organization, Strickler is seeing individuals from these groups taking the time to help out. 

Gaining volunteers for the kettle drive, however, isn’t the only challenge the SA is trying to meet.

Over the course of the holiday season, the SA has seen an increase in several metrics related to helping people in the community. Most areas in which the SA supports the community have seen increases, some of them dramatically so.

This includes the food shelf, which the SA has seen a 68% increase in the people they are serving.

Earlier, in November, the SA saw an over 20% increase in the Thanksgiving meals served and the Christmas Basket/Feed a Family program is up 35%. The Angel Tree has also seen an increase of 55% in the number of kids it’s serving.

“Those have been really challenging increases we have so far,” Strickler said. “We hope with Christmas fundraisers we can wrap up the Christmas season of helping those folks.”

In the future, Strickler said the SA is hoping to raise money for the establishment of a mobile food pantry that they can take on location to help people more readily.

Meanwhile, if you or a group is looking to pick up some volunteer hours to help the SA meet its goal, people are encouraged to use www.registertoring.com. There people can pick the days and times they want to ring bells as well as see what’s available in terms of outdoor, indoor or between door locations.

All people have to do is type in Austin, MN or a zip code to see what’s available.