Kewaunee County Sheriff Matt Joski is thrilled that you grabbed a bell when you thought you could lend a hand. The Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive numbers are in for Kewaunee County, where $29,729.14 was raised between November 23rd and December 24th. That is well over $6,000 more than in 2022, when $22,902 was collected. Joski credits the generosity shown by the community during the month-long campaign. He said those who grabbed an apron and a bell when they saw no one tending to the kettle were just as important as people dropping a few coins in the bucket.
It was a similar story for the Salvation Army of the Fox Cities, which told WFRV-TV in Green Bay that they exceeded their Red Kettle Campaign goal of $270,000 by $14,000 thanks partly to a 17 percent increase in bell ringers. Tom Mullenix, who organizes the Salvation Army’s efforts in Door County, said last week he was hopeful they would close their gap ahead of the deadline. You can read more of Joski’s thoughts below.
FROM SHERIFF JOSKI
With all of the Christmas excitement behind us, I wanted to take just a moment to share the outcome of our 2023 season of giving. Just as in the past, this year’s Kewaunee County Kettle Campaign was a testimony to the generosity of our communities. Overall, we received $29,729.14 in donations between November 23rd and December 24th. To put this in perspective, last year, we received $22,902.29
This is an amazing testament to the commitment and dedication of all those who took the time to ring bells and the generosity of those who gave what they could throughout the giving season.
Leading the giving this year was the Kewaunee sites, with a total of $11,198.81, followed by Algoma at $11.050.45 and Luxemburg at $7,472.39. These donations are a total of what was received in the kettles and donation checks received throughout the 2023 season. The countertop kettles at area businesses are a relatively new addition to our campaign. Each year, they tend to draw a bit more attention and donations. Thank you to the businesses that hosted those as well.
These are some impressive numbers when you consider that most of these donations are mostly small amounts as people come and go from the Kettle sites. We want to thank the businesses who allow us to place these kettles along with the bell ringing volunteers in their entrances. We would also like to thank the many volunteers who took time from their lives to ring bells and encourage giving. There is no way we would have been as successful in our fundraising had the bell ringers not been at the sites as often as they were. I am always encouraged by the many new faces that volunteer each year and look forward to more new faces next season.
I want to thank Jake Blazkovec and John Ortlieb for all of their efforts in the Algoma area. I would also like to thank Annette Wuest for her coordination at the Luxemburg sites. In addition to the volunteers of all ages, young and old, A special shout out to all of our Kewaunee County youth for showing us that there is no minimum age for volunteerism, as we had students, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Cub Scouts and student/ staff members of various organizations and schools giving of themselves and their time.
Big thanks also to all of the Nicolet Bank staff, especially Lynn LaCrosse, for processing all of the transactions and patiently sorting the contents of the Kettles. Many hours were spent flattening out all of the rolled-up, crunched-up, and otherwise jammed-packed currency from the kettles that were brought in.
It is important to note that these funds stay here in Kewaunee County to help those around us who find themselves in short-term need. These needs could be due to a sudden loss of employment or an unexpected medical bill. In these instances, the resources are sent directly to the vendor so that there is no doubt that the money is going towards its intended purpose.
I have the unique privilege of being the Voucher Writer for the Salvation Army here in Kewaunee County, which allows me to meet with and assist our neighbors throughout the year with needs such as Utilities, Rent, Lodging, Food, Clothing, and Fuel. While I may be filling out the voucher for them, I know that I am merely a representative of our community and its amazing generosity. I am grateful for my role in changing people’s lives for the better, and I would encourage anyone interested to please join our county unit of the Salvation Army. We meet quarterly and are always looking for fresh insight and perspective on how we can better serve our community. Please give me a call if you are interested.
