PHOTO PROVIDED A pair of bell-ringers for the Salvation Army pose for a photo outside of Northwest Bank on Main St. in Lock Haven.

PHOTO PROVIDED
A Boy Scout rings the bell for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign outside of the Walmart in Mill Hall.

LOCK HAVEN — The holiday season is upon us, and the annual tradition of the Red Kettle Drive is well underway and in need of community support.

The tradition of the red kettle drive began in 1891 with Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee.

McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry, and resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner to those who were destitute and poverty-stricken. When pondering how to fund this endeavor, McFee remembered how at Stage Landing, where the boats came in during his sailor days in Liverpool, England, there was a large, iron kettle called “Simpson’s Pot” into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.

McFee would place a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street and soon had the money to see that those in need were properly fed at Christmas.

The concept of the kettle spread from coast to coast, and that year, according to the Salvation Army website, around 150,000 Christmas dinners were provided for the needy.

Kettles are now used in other areas of the world, such as Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries

The Salvation Army in Lock Haven has set an even loftier goal than last year, a whopping $56,000.

With only six days left, they’ve currently met 51 percent of their goal.

“Our kettles this year are located at Walmart Monday through Saturday and Northwest Bank on Fridays and Saturdays. We are helping around 250 families with a Christmas food box and have over 300 children signed up to receive toys,” said Capt. Jaclyn Brewer, Corps Officer.

Capt. Brewer noted that the Salvation Army has the opportunity to have a “match day” this upcoming Saturday, Dec. 21, where all funds collected in the kettles will be matched. Capt. Brewer encourages anyone who is interested in standing a kettle to contact the Salvation Army to arrange a time.

“We also need volunteers to stand kettles that day as we have no groups signed up for that Saturday,” said Capt. Brewer.

New this year, donors have the opportunity to donate by credit card with the new Tap to Pay Machine which is located at Walmart Food Door. Donations can also be made through the virtual red kettle at salarmy.us/LockhavenRedKettle.

For more information about the Red Kettle Drive and other opportunities through The Salvation Army, visit the Salvation Army’s Facebook page at The Salvation Army-Lock Haven, PA.