Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
For some people, the holidays aren't possible without a little help.
The Salvation Army has been doing that for more than 100 years with its well-known kettles and bell ringers.
In December 1891, a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco wanted to provide a free Christmas dinner to the area's poor, but had no way to pay for it.
Capt. Joseph McFee remembered his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England, watching a passerby at Stage Landing put money into a charitable pot called "Simpson's pot." The next morning, McFee put his own "pot" at the Oakland ferry landing in a place so conspicuous all the ferry boats could see it. The tradition was launched, not only through the United States, but the world.
By Christmas 1895, kettles were used by 30 Salvation Army units at various locations on the West Coast and in a few years, the kettles reached the East Coast. Today, the Salvation Army red kettles raise thousands of dollars in communities to care for the poor, hungry, abused, troubled, ill, elderly and less fortunate.
The Army will provide assistance in various forms to more than seven million people in the United States in 2002.
Last year, the Salvation Army in Kosciusko County provided through the angel tree program clothing and toys for 532 children. The Salvation Army also helped 266 families with food assistance for the holidays and visited and gave gifts to the residents in nursing homes in the county.
Because of increased needs of people coming in for assistance, the Salvation Army is expecting to serve more people this year than last. To help support the kettle effort, send a check to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 175, Warsaw, IN 46581.
