With all of the Christmas excitement behind us, I wanted to take just a moment to share the outcome of our 2025 season of giving. Just as in the past, this year’s Kewaunee County Kettle Campaign was a testament to the generosity of our communities. Overall, we received $26,076.05 in donations between Nov. 23 and Dec. 24. This was slightly down from last year, when we received $28,485.10, but still an amazing amount by any measure.
This is a true testament to the commitment and dedication of all those who took the time to ring bells, as well as the generosity of those who gave what they could throughout the giving season.
Leading the giving this year were the Kewaunee sites, with a total of $10,951.81, followed by Luxemburg at $7,675.80 and Algoma at $6,764.66. These totals include both what was received in the kettles and donation checks received throughout the 2025 season. A relatively new addition to our campaign has been the countertop kettles at area businesses. Each year, they tend to draw a bit more attention as well as donations. Thank you to the businesses that hosted them.
These are some impressive numbers when you consider that most of these donations are small amounts as people come and go from the kettle sites. We would like to thank the businesses that allow us to place kettles and bell-ringing volunteers at 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 who volunteer each year and look forward to even more next season.
I would like 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 volunteers of all ages, young and old, a special shout-out goes to our Kewaunee County youth for showing us that there is no minimum age for volunteerism. We had students, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and student/staff members of various organizations and schools giving of themselves and their time.
Big thanks also go 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 rolled-up, crunched-up, and otherwise jam-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 may be due to a sudden loss of employment or an unexpected medical bill. In these instances, resources are sent directly to the vendor so there is no doubt the money is going toward 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 the person filling out the voucher, I know I am merely a representative of our community and its amazing generosity. I am grateful for the role I play in changing people’s lives for the better, and I would encourage anyone with an interest to join our county unit of The Salvation Army. We meet on a quarterly basis 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.
