LARNED — The 2011 Salvation Army Fund Drive in Pawnee County begins next week with red buckets appearing in various local businesses.
Members from Larned churches and students from the Pawnee Heights KAY Club will start staffing the kettle at the Larned Dillons store Monday, Nov. 28. Volunteers will ring the bells from 4 to 8 p.m. every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays through Dec. 23.
In addition, the Salvation Army will place inserts in The Larned Tiller and Toiler.
Donations compliment the work of the Ministerial Association’s Helping Hands ministry and the Larned Food Pantry.
Throughout the year, Salvation Army funds cover expenses for utilities, clothing, shoes, furniture and household goods, car repairs, medical prescriptions, eye exams and glasses, dental work, student aids and learning supplies.
During the 2010 Christmas holiday season, the fund drive raised $5,519. The Salvation Army has served 157 living units or 297 Pawnee County residents during 2011.
For information, call Jack Singer at (620) 285-6006 or (620) 910-7109.
The Salvation Army assists more than 4.5 million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods in the U.S. Kettles are used in such distant lands as Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries. The traditional red kettle is an integral part of the Christmas scene, with millions of dollars donated each year to aid needy families, seniors, and the homeless, in keeping with the spirit of the season.