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The Salvation Army Kicks Off Annual Red Kettle Campaign With Third Annual Concert
The Rock the Red Kettle Concert is Presented By: Regal Entertainment, WIVK-FM, NewsTalk 98.7 and WNML-AF
KNOXVILLE, TENN. – November 2, 2015 – The Salvation Army is inviting the public to join in the celebration if kicking off its annual Red Kettle Campaign – a Christmas tradition since 1891. The third annual Rock the Red Kettle Concert will take place on Friday, November 20 at 8 p.m. at The Square Room. The show will feature live music by the Grammy-nominated Rhett Walker Band from Nashville.
General Admission tickets are $25 while VIP tickets are $50 and include admission to a special, pre-concert reception in the Square Room. The reception will feature a meet and greet with the band, heavy hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, a swag bag and early admittance to the concert. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.SalvationArmyKnoxville.org.
Last year, the six-week campaign raised just over $550,000. This year’s goal is $600,000. Proceeds from the concert will go directly to the campaign which supports the organization’s various programs throughout the year. This year, 100% of ticket sales will go directly towards the Red Kettle Campaign.
The Salvation Army’s Knoxville Area Command would like to thank its Rock the Red Kettle sponsors: WBIR, The Graham Corporation, Extrovert Media, Graphic Creations, McGaha Electric, Pilot Flying J and SmartBank.
For more information, contact The Salvation Army at 525-9401.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.
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Rock the Red Kettle Kickoff Concert – Silent Auction Items
Get ready to rock while giving back this Christmas season! The Salvation Army is proud to present the Rock the Red Kettle Kickoff Concert on Saturday, November 16 at 7 p.m. at the Square Room on Knoxville’s Market Square. The event will kick off the organization’s annual Red Kettle Campaign with live music by Frog and Toad’s Dixie Quartet, delectable desserts and an auction featuring unique items and experiences you won’t want to miss out on. Tickets are $20 with 100% of the cost going into programs that serve the Knoxville community.
Auction items include:
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Be A Shield…Volunteer
It’s already Christmas time at The Salvation Army which means there are several special ways for you and your business, school or church to get involved this season. Here are some of our volunteer opportunities:
Bell Ringers
Begins Thursday, November 14 and goes through Tuesday, December 24
We are looking for groups and individuals to sponsor an entire day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. as well as filling two hour shifts at 60 different locations.
Volunteer Coordinator Assistant
Assist the volunteer coordinator with reminders and details for the shifts of the bell ringing volunteers. Possibly help with registration of new bell ringers and administrative tasks for the appreciation certificates.
Monday through Friday – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Beginning Monday, November 18 and goes until Thursday, December 19
Angel Tree Volunteer Opportunities
Office Help
Monday, October 21 through Tuesday, November 5
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Help label tags and bundle bags
(More opportunities will be available to help in our warehouse leading up to our distribution)
Angel Tree Distribution Day
Friday, December 20
Three different shifts between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Help distribute the gifts to the families and seniors.
To volunteer or for more information, please contact Maria Down at (865) 525-9401 or maria_down@uss.salvationarmy.org
Annual Red Kettle Campaign a Success…THANK YOU!
Thanks to generous donations from the Knoxville area community, thousands of volunteer hours and the support of area retailers, The Salvation Army raised over $587,000 through the 2011 Red Kettle Campaign. The total represents more than a 9% increase over 2010 and exceeded the goal of $500,000. The total includes Knoxville, Maryville, Oak Ridge and Sevierville. The campaign, which kicked off on November 14 and ran through Christmas Eve, is The Salvation Army’s largest fundraising event.
“We’re again overwhelmed with the generosity of our friends and neighbors here in the Knoxville area,” said Major Don Vick. “For the first time in several years, we were ahead of the pace needed to exceed our goal for most of the campaign and take advantage of the drier weather to maximize our kettle locations throughout the command.”
The contributions helped to fund The Salvation Army’s Christmas programs, which helped over 4,300 families in need in 2011. During the Christmas season, the command provided:
~ 1,362 holiday meals served
~ 4,385 families served
~ 8,024 individuals served
~ 2,100food boxes given
~ 4,539 Angels
~ 5,230 stockings
~ 37,843 gifts
~ 23,135 clothing items
The contributions will also help keep area programs and services, which affect nearly 30,000 people in East Tennessee, going throughout 2012.
Honoring Our Volunteers
On August 11, The Salvation Army honored its volunteers with an ice cream social, live music and door prizes. The event, which was held at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in West Knoxville, served as a party with a purpose. Volunteers were asked to bring school supplies to help children in need get a head start on the upcoming school year.
“Volunteers are so vital to our ministry that we often call them the army behind the Army,” explained Knoxville Area Commander, Major Don Vick. “They truly are the foundation of our mission and this event is just a small token of our appreciation for everything they do for our community.”
The event honored the thousands of individuals who donated nearly 20,000 hours of time to The Salvation Army last year. However, it was a select few who were recognized for their overwhelming support and dedication to The Salvation Army. The awards this year included the Mary Shafer Award for Outstanding Service to The Salvation Army in honor of the late Mary Shafer, wife of Salvation Army Board Member Emeritus Bo Shafer and a long-time supporter of the organization. This award was given to Kristi Lynch who has donated her time and artistic ability to the mural in The Salvation Army’s Community Garden which was valued at $8,000.
“I just try to share the talent God’s blessed me with to hopefully make a difference,” said Lynch. It’s been an honor to work with The Salvation Army and I would do it again!”
Also recognized were First United Methodist Church, Kiwanis of Maryville, Northside Kiwanis and Stephen Shubiak for 60 hours each of bell ringing during the 2010 Red Kettle Campaign. There were several groups who each adopted 100 Angels during the 2010 Angel Tree Campaign. These groups were: Cooper Realty Investments, The Hobby Williams Salon, St. John’s Cathedral, Morning Star Child Development and Pilot Flying J. Finally, The Girl Scouts of the Beaver Creek Service Unit were recognized for filling 700 stockings during the 2010 campaign.
Be A Shield
A shield is designed to protect the areas that are most vulnerable. Everyday, we are blessed to be surrounded by those who help us in our mission of doing the most good. We recognize these selfless individuals as “shields” – but our community is always in need of more. How can you be a shield?
- Pray for The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army’s mission has always been more than a physical battle. It is a spiritual battle as well and we need partners who will support us in prayer.
- Organize a donation drive. This is something that can be done virtually at any point during the year. Drives can be to support our regularly scheduled programs or done independently. There is also the option of hosting a “Get Caught Giving” event. Our Get Caught Giving campaign allows businesses to host a Salvation Army truck which provides employees a convenient way to donate everything from furniture to clothes to toys. All donations are tax deductible and receipts are always available.
- Adopt a Red Kettle. The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign is our most recognized campaign of the year. For the last six weeks of every year, we have approximately 40 kettles scattered across the Knoxville area. At least one bell ringer is required to be with the kettle from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., six days a week. That’s a LOT of bell ringers! And, without a bell ringer to accompany it, the kettle cannot be placed in public. Because of the vast number of bell ringers needed we ask individuals, church groups, businesses and schools to adopt a kettle. By adopting a kettle, you’re committing to be the face of The Salvation Army and doing the most good. The Red Kettle Campaign represents about 10 percent of our annual income so we have to maximize the number of kettles around town and the amount of time they are there.
The Salvation Army Sets Red Kettle Record for the Sixth Straight Year
Through strong support of U.S. donors and a united front of traditional red kettles and virtual bell-ringers, The Salvation Army raised a record $142 million during the 2010 annual Red Kettle Christmas Campaign. The increase of just over two percent from 2009’s record of $139 million raised reflects the continued determination of every American to support their neighbors during challenging economic times. The Salvation Army’s 2010 campaign employed traditional efforts with volunteers, celebrity endorsements and corporate partners such as Walmart and Sam’s Club, along with new technology and social media tools to set a campaign record for the sixth year in a row.
Click here for more!
Maryville Kiwanis Club Earns Bragging Rights…Again
The 2010 Red Kettle Campaign is in the books. During the six week-long campaign, there were many ebbs and flows but one thing remained contestant – the active participation of local Kiwanis clubs. Moreover, the friendly competition between clubs to raise the most money for The Salvation Army was as spirited as ever. However, it was the Maryville Kiwanis Club who raised the most money for the sixth consecutive year.
Over six days, 33 Maryville Kiwanis members plus five Kiwanis friends from the Heritage, Maryville, and Eagleton Middle Schools Builders Clubs, cheerfully rang the bells. The total amount raised was $3,580.56, slightly down from 2009’s total of $3,808.59. The Kiwanians worked in pairs which further enhanced friendships and camaraderie in the club.
Congratulations to the Maryville Kiwanis Club for another outstanding year of bell ringing. Also, thanks to all the area Kiwanis Clubs who participate year after year. Your organization is a fine example of those Doing the Most Good.
Local Celebrities Brave Freezing Temps to Ring Bells
On Thursday, Dec. 2, some of Knoxville’s celebrities battled low temperatures and a bone-chilling wind to ring bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign. This year’s Celebrity Day drew volunteers from Knoxville’s three major broadcast networks as well as Love89 and Life88 to West Town Mall. Also volunteering his time was newly elected Knox County Mayor, Tim Burchett.
We’re out here ringing a bell for the Salvation Army today because there are a lot of people who are less fortunate than us this holiday season, said Laren Davis, anchor and reporter for WVLT-TV. “We want to raise some money for them and keep them in our thoughts and prayers during this joyous time.”
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