Donations surge for Salvation Army
Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 23, 1999
When Capts.
Thursday, December 23, 1999
When Capts. Douglas and Linda Yeck and Randy Stahl collected the kettles for the Salvation Army Austin Corps Wednesday night, they were in for a surprise.
Three, to be exact.
"When we counted the money, we discovered $50 bills wrapped inside a $1 bill at three different locations," Capt. Douglas Yeck, officer in charge of the Austin Corps, said. "It was quite a surprise."
But the surprises didn’t end in the kettles in which donations are deposited in response to bell ringers’ pleas to help the Salvation Army.
"The Austin Post Office’s letter carriers delivered a check for $500 to us. It was a generous gesture and we really appreciate it," the officer in charge said.
There were even more surprises Wednesday.
"We had a nice man write us out a check for $500 for our Christmas appeal and then a couple in blue jeans came in and gave us another check for $500. They said they wanted it to go to those who deserve it most," he said.
"Then, we had another sizable donation from a person who looked like he needed help, but he said he wanted to help others at Christmastime," Yeck said.
"It’s just amazing what Christmas does to people," he concluded, when recounting all of the Wednesday surprises.
The Christmas appeal has reached the 73 percent mark of its goal to raise $86,600 this holiday season. When the week started, the appeal was in the mid-60s percent, but a midweek surge in Christmas spirits and giving has pushed it higher as the week draws to a close and the holiday nears.
The Salvation Army depends on a direct mail appeal for funds and its familiar kettles. There is also "white" mail or the spontaneous gestures of financial support that arrive daily.
This year, kettles were at nine different locations, but the inability to recruit volunteers resulted in fewer kettle hours. That meant fewer contributions.
State Sen. Pat Piper (DFL-Austin) took one two-hour shift Tuesday night, but Yeck said the bell ringers otherwise have been lacking.
"We could have used more," Yeck said. "The kettles and bell ringers are such a familiar sight at Christmas and such a popular project. We still can use some tonight and tomorrow."
Also Wednesday, an 18-wheeler rolled into Austin to deposit Christmas presents, food and clothing from the Salvation Army’s Northern Region en route to making similar stops at Salvation Army outposts in Albert Lea and Rochester.
"That was a sight to see," Yeck said, "The whole trailer was filled to the top with gifts, toys, presents and other items to be distributed to the needy at Christmas. It was amazing."
What worries the officer in charge is meeting demands after Christmas and that is because the demands for assistance have been so heavy for so long.
"They started last summer and have just continued," he said. "People just keep coming to us for help and we don’t turn them away."
A local church brought in three families for holiday food baskets and gifts Wednesday. That was the last scheduled day for the distribution of the food baskets and gifts to families who had registered for holiday assistance.
The organization has set aside 25 parcels of food and presents for families as a contingency for drop-ins today and Friday.
"We’ll be all right for the Christmas season as far as food and other necessities go, but what worries me is the time afterward and if this heavy demand will continue," Yeck said. "There are a lot of needy people out there."