Salvation Army Kettle Appeal begins

It’s that time of the year when the community is asked to give generously to the Salvation Army Kettle Appeal. The effort got underway today on Albert Street in Belize City.

Captain James Garth, General Manager, Salvation Army

“We raise funds so we can help the needy children in our community and even outside of our community of Belize. This money that we’ll be collecting or kettling will be used for having dinner for almost eight hundred children and we also purchase toys, so each child can have a toy for Christmas.”

The kettles are prominently posted throughout the city and at the International Airport. In 1998, forty thousand dollars was raised. Mayor David Fonseca asks everyone to support the program.

David Fonseca, Mayor, Belize City

“Some of us heard the word or the name Salvation Army and probably say, hey they are only begging for money again. But that effort that they are doing, that effort to pull their resources to rid the city and to rid the country of some of the social problems that we are faced with, without us knowing that that is what they are doing. It is for this reason that we should take the effort of the Salvation Army very seriously.”

The Salvation Army is also asking for toy donations, so that children whose families cannot afford to buy gifts will have a Merry Christmas.

The kettle appeal is carried out by Salvation Army branches all over the world.