Sally Ann will surpass goal
by Sarita Patel
Back in November, Kelowna's Salvation Army set a lofty goal of raising $700,000 in its annual Christmas campaign.
Despite not reaching the goal to start the new year, the past few weeks saw plenty of people still in the giving spirit. On Thursday, the organization announced it has raised $696,000 – an 18 per cent increase over the previous year.
And it's expected to surpass the goal as staff wait for the remaining funds to come through.
“We are so grateful for the generosity of this community” said Capt. Darryl Burry. “The financial support we received from our Christmas campaign supports the year-round programming and services we offer here in Kelowna-Lake Country."
"We are so deeply thankful to all those who made this campaign a success – for the thousands of volunteers who rang bells, sorted toys, counted donations, packed bags, participated in our Christmas events and so much more. We are so blessed to have a community that cares for others and wants to make an impact in people’s lives.”
This was the first time 'Tap to Donate' was available at four Kelowna locations, providing donors with the option of debit or credit card transactions.
"We hope to continue to provide this service at key locations in the future. However, what needs to be noted is that the bulk of our donations still come in the form of cash," said Burry.
The campaign allowed the Sally Ann to "Share Christmas" with 526 local families, which included toys for 1,021 children.