Christmas giving season begins
Posted Nov 17, 2011 10:46:53 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The season of Christmas giving has officially begun. The Salvation Army launched its 2011 Christmas Kettle Campaign over bacon and eggs Thursday at the Ottawa Convention Centre.
It was the second annual “Hope in the City” breakfast. Community leaders came together to support the cause and hear from key note speaker Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire.
This year’s campaign goal is $600,000, but Michael Maidment, the area director of public relations, says donors keep on giving.
“It’s simple, it’s a campaign that’s been around for a long time but it works,” he says. “Donors keep showing us that. No matter what the economy does, donors keep putting money in our kettles and we are very fortunate for that.”
That said, Maidment tells 1310News that the need is also quite high.
“We are seeing a lot of families come to us for the very first time,” he says. “We’ve seen that over the past three years with the economy. Its not just the regular people, there are people coming to us for help for the very first time.”
The money donated will help more than 5000 families in the Ottawa area.
Maidment says that gives the sound of a bell a whole new meaning.
“The sound of the bell I think is really a symbol of hope to those families,” he says.
The campaign runs until December 24th, to find out how you can donate click here.
