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Campaign on to fill Salvation Army kettles in Langley

The annual fundraising drive aims to collect $180,000 for local programs
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Carl Pauls notes that this year there will be eight debit/credit card readers with kettles for people to make donations around Langley. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

The Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign has kicked off for another year in Langley, aiming to collect $180,000 over the next 30 days in the red donation buckets.

“The community’s been great,” said Julie Gilfillan, the operations manager for the Gateway of Hope shelter.

That said, four days in, the campaign could definitely use more volunteers. There are plenty of opportunities available, according to kettle coordinator Carl Pauls.

“I have 3,200 two-hour shifts to fill,” Pauls said.

With the volunteers he has already signed up, he could put people on just a third of those shifts, and four days into the campaign, donations are a bit behind where they were last year.

Last year the campaign collected just under its $180,000 goal.

The money in the kettles goes to local programs – everything from family services and school supplies to the community meal program to the annual Christmas hampers to Langley families.

There are 23 locations outside stores around Langley where kettles will be set up, and at up to eight of them, there will also be machines capable to taking donations by credit or debit cards, Pauls noted.

He urged people to come down, whether alone or in groups.

“It’s a great family experience, to be at a kettle,” said Pauls.

Kids can sing carols, ring the bells, and get an early experience of charitable volunteering, noted Gilfillan.

To sign up for the kettle campaign, volunteers can visit the gatewayofhope.ca website or email kettles@gatewayofhope.ca. They can also call Pauls directly at 604-309-5490.

He said he’ll happily sign people up and have them at a kettle the day they call, if that’s what they want.



Matthew Claxton

About the Author: Matthew Claxton

Raised in Langley, as a journalist today I focus on local politics, crime and homelessness.
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