This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Kiwanis Clubs Look to Ring Up Red Kettle Donations

Local volunteers will be out helping The Salvation Army.

With lots of holiday spirit — and driven by a little friendly competition — members of all three Plymouth Kiwanis Clubs will ring bells for The Salvation Army on Friday and Saturday.

Volunteers from the Kiwanis Clubs and high school Key Club members will assist the Salvation Army's annual Red Kettle fundraising campaign.

"It's something we've been doing for the past 23 years," said local attorney Jim Ryan, who is helping coordinate the more than 140 volunteers expected to participate.

Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The holiday help is badly needed, said Capt. Dan Hull of The Salvation Army's Plymouth Corps.

"Groups of volunteers like these are very much appreciated. We wouldn't be able to meet our annual goals without them," Hull said. "People in the community know who these volunteers are, they have connections with them, and that certainly helps."

Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Plymouth Corps, which serves families from Northville to Belleville, expects to serve about 1,200 families this holiday season, down just slightly from last year.

"Despite some positive signs, we're still seeing requests from people who have never had to seek help before," Hull said. "The Salvation Army is still taking names of those who need assistance this year."

Names are being accepted by phone at (734) 453-5464. Donations can be made online or mailed to The Salvation Army, Plymouth Corps 9451 S. Main, Plymouth, MI 48170. 

The Red Kettle Drive is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the local Salvation Army branch. This year's local kettle drive goal is $225,000, Hull said. When mixed with other donations, the local Salvation Army branch hopes to raise $315,000. In addition to providing holiday help, the drive helps finance Salvation Army charitable operations throughout the year.

The local drive has raised about 20 percent of its goal thus far, Hull noted, making this week's volunteer bell ringing even more important.

That is  also where the Kiwanis Club's long running rivalry with local Rotary Club members also helps.

"Every year, there's a friendly rivalry with them," said Ryan of local Rotarians, who conducted bell-ringing last weekend. "There's even a kettle that we've given out to the winners."

But both sides acknowledge there are no losers when it comes to raising money for those in need.

As his tradition, Ryan will be driving around town in a mobile home to provide help — and a hot chocolate break — for the volunteers.

"We call it the Kiwanis Caravan," he said.

Members of the Kiwanis Clubs of Plymouth, Colonial Plymouth and Canton will be ringing bells Friday and Saturday at the following locations: Hiller's, 15455 Haggerty; Busch's 15185 Sheldon; Kmart, 40855 Ann Arbor Road; Panera Bread, 400 S. Main; and Kroger, 44525 Ann Arbor Road.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?