Salvation Army donation kettles watched over by volunteers are once again set up in various locations around Thompson, but not inside the Liquor Mart as they have been previously because Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is no longer exempting them from their policy on people soliciting donations.
“What they have said is we can’t put the full Christmas kettle in there with a person standing by it,” said Salvation Army spokesman Major Rob Kerr. “They’re allowing us to put the tabletops at the checkout on the counters instead but not a person standing there. They’ve had a policy in place that does not allow people to be in their stores actively soliciting donations but they have made a few exceptions and the Salvation Army has been one of those exceptions and for that we are very grateful. They are now saying that they feel it’s time for them to hold everybody to the same rules and they have to be fair across the board.”
Donations tend to be higher at locations with a volunteer present, Kerr says.
“Part of what allows the kettle to be so effective is having the person who’s there greeting and connecting and engaging with people who go by and I think that helps us to encourage people to donate,” he said.
Liquor stores in various parts of the province have been a significant source of donations and Kerr hopes that people who used to donate there will either continue to do so by placing money in the tabletop donation receptacles or by finding a kettle with a volunteer elsewhere.
“We’ve certainly enjoyed great support,” said Kerr. “We hope that those who are able to support us will find us and will continue to support us so that we can continue doing the work we do.”
"Over the last number of years, and following some complaints from customers, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries has slowly eliminated the practice of soliciting shoppers for donations in our Liquor Marts," said Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries communications officer Susan Harrison. "Currently, there is no program that allows other groups the same access the Salvation Army has had to our customers for fundraising purposes. We are currently working on corporate guidelines to govern the solicitation of customers and employees by charitable groups to ensure consistency for all. At this time, and in the interest of fairness, the decision has been made to not allow any exceptions. Each year, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is proud to support more than 350 charitable, non-profit and community organizations in achieving their fundraising goals through a variety of programs. One of these initiatives, our coin box program, will be used to support the Salvation Army campaign. The coin box program is an initiative with an application process in place which allows all charitable organizations the same opportunity to apply for inclusion in the program."
Thompson’s Salvation Army director Roy Bladen says that kettles and volunteers will be set up outside Safeway, at Family Foods, outside the mall entrance to Walmart and – for the first time in many years – inside Walmart near the customer service counter. In addition to hosting Salvation Army kettles, Walmart Canada will also match all donations made in their stores across the country on Dec. 15.
Bladen says that the 120 Christmas hampers that the Salvation Army will give out in Thompson this year had all been accounted for except for about 25 as of Nov. 15, when he was conducting more interviews of potential hamper recipients.
“I will be amazed if we have anything left after that,” he said, noting that this is the fastest he has seen the hampers go in his five years in Thompson and that people have signed up for them much faster than last year, when they gave out 107. “I’ve never seen them go so quickly.”
The Salvation Army may still be able to provide hampers consisting only of children’s toys after the full hampers have all been assigned to families. Hampers will be distributed Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Salvation Army’s food bank is also running low, though there have been some recent donations from school groups.
“It’s helped us,” Bladen said, but more donations would still put his mind more at ease for 2019. “I don’t want to put a plea out in January saying help us.”
Bladen says anyone who wants to volunteer for a two-hour shift at one of the kettles can call 204-307-8201 or 204-307-2193 and that anyone who does three shifts will receive a thank you gift certificate from KFC for their generosity. He also says that any businesses who would like to have a Salvation Army kettle at their Christmas party instead of exchanging gifts, for example, can call him at 204-307-2193.
He also expressed his thanks to everyone who donates to either the food bank or at one of the kettles.
“We truly appreciate it,” Bladen said.
