The loose change you dropped in their red kettles last Christmas season is making a big difference thanks to the Salvation Army of Kewaunee County. Last year’s Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign raised over $25,000 which is then distributed by voucher writers in the community when individuals or families approach the organization in need. Helping people catch up on rent and utilities or make a car payment when they experience tragedy or fall on hard times is often when the dollars are used. Kewaunee County Sheriff Matt Joski is one of the voucher writers in the area, and he says the most challenging part of the job is when the people they helped need further assistance because they cannot get past the challenges they are facing. Joski says the money they distribute is supposed to be one-time payments. In times when the Salvation Army’s bell is meant to be silent, Joski is proud the community steps up and rings it for them.
The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign will return with sites throughout the area again this Christmas season. You can read more about the Salvation Army’s efforts in Kewaunee County below.
FROM SHERIFF JOSKI
Although you can’t get much farther from the holiday season than we currently are in the year, I wanted to pause and share some information into where some of your holiday generosity has been directed to.
As I have shared in the past, I have the privilege of being the Kewaunee County Voucher Writer for the Salvation Army and in doing so, I have the unique opportunity to interact with those who are in need throughout our community on a regular basis, and I am always humbled by their willingness to share what they are going through.
As you may recall, all of the funds for these types of assistance interactions are derived from the donations that you the community provide through the Kettle Campaign which runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. These Kettles are placed at businesses throughout Kewaunee County and the requests for assistance are also received from our neighbors throughout Kewaunee County.
Recently, I provided a voucher to a young Mother who was in between jobs with assistance for her rent. In another instance, I was able to provide your generosity to a gentleman in the early stages of cancer treatment to assist with utility expenses during his recovery. Yet in another time of need, your generosity provided fuel for a young woman’s vehicle so that she could get to a job interview. Unfortunately, there is very seldom a week that goes by that I do not receive a request for help in some way. Fortunately, most of these needs can be met. While I am able to provide assistance through the Salvation Army on most of these occasions, there are also other charitable organizations that assist our community in resources as well. I am very grateful for the local food pantries, as well as the Lakeshore Community Pantry Thrift shop. There have also been so many situations in which local businesses have stepped forward to assist a family or individual with help in the area of their expertise.
In a world that tends to fixate on the negative, we can never let ourselves be distracted from the fact that they are vastly outnumbered by the positive events and supportive people that are around us every day. Even in those negative people or events, it doesn’t take a great deal of effort to peal away the layers to find the good.
Many times, we feel helpless as we watch events unfold around the world and even in our own communities. While we can not change so much of what we see, we can make sure that it does not change us. Please know that each and every time we are able to assist someone in our community, we are sending a message that we will always be here for each other without judgement and without hesitation. That in itself is the definition of community.
