By Julie Huss
The bells are set to ring and the bright red kettles are ready for this year's holiday season.
The Salvation Army, based on Folsom Road in Derry, is ready for the 2009 holiday kettle drive to begin at local businesses and is now going full speed ahead to help as many people as possible have a bright season.
Last week, the Army kicked off its kettle campaign at a luncheon attended by Army officers, and members of the advisory board, made up of people from many areas in the community who help with the Army's mission to help others. The organization is also accepting Christmas applications from people who need extra help this holiday season.
The annual kettle drive is a large part of the Salvation Army's financial work and is instrumental in raising money to help those in need. "Southern New Hampshire has one of the most successful kettle drives in the area," said Salvation Army advisory board chair John Murphy.
He added throughout the year, the Army helps thousands of people with food, warm clothing, financial support, and spiritual offerings. And the kettle campaign is a big part.
"It is a big event," Murphy said. "It really is the highlight of the year."
For over 140 years, the Salvation Army has been reaching out to help others, not only from a religious standpoint, but in holiday help, disaster relief, and other community-oriented programs .
Programs for children, and youth, right up to adult is a major focus of what the Salvation Army does all year long. And helping those affected by natural disasters is also a strong point of the Army's mission.
"Derry maintains an emergency disaster vehicle used to respond to fires, and natural disasters," Murphy said. He added after Hurricane Katrina, the local Salvation Army corps sent a team down to Mississippi to help those affected by the tragedy.
When flood waters ravaged in New Hampshire a few years ago, the Salvation Army was also on the scene offering help.
As the holidays approach, the list is long of ways the Salvation Army hopes to help. The kettle drive is a big part of the overall mission, organizers said.
And, as always, help is always needed to man the kettles and volunteer for other parts of the Army's work.
Murphy said anyone wishing to pitch in is welcome and it's easy to ring a bell to make someone's holiday brighter.
"You can always pick up a bell and ring it," he said.
Representatives from all towns the local Salvation Army services made a first contribution to the kettle campaign. Windham's town manager Dave Sullivan, Londonderry's town manager Dave Caron, and Derry's Human Services director Larry Budreau, representing Derry's town administrator Gary Stenhouse, all made a donation to kick off the holidays.
And for one longtime volunteer, ringing the shiny bell every holiday season is a given.
Salvation Army captains Sally and Steve Warren honored one of the Army's volunteers who has given countless hours of volunteer time. Dennis Foti, has worked as a kettle campaign volunteer for many years, typically manning the shiny kettle at local areas for many hours a week, collecting donations and doing his part to help the Salvation Army.
In addition to the holiday drive to help others in need, the Salvation Army in Derry hosts regular worship services, programs for families and children and other special activities.
For information on the Salvation Army, to learn more about receiving help, call Lyle at 434-7790.
