The Salvation Army yesterday launched its annual Christmas Kettle appeal with the hope of topping the $9 million raised last year.
The launch was held yesterday morning at the Umana Yana, where ExxonMobil’s Country Manager Rod Henson made the first contribution.
In delivering the feature address, Henson said that over the years, the Salvation Army has been providing a wide range of services which has touched thousands of lives.
“It’s only through the support of the public and businesses that the Salvation Army [is] able to continue to do the great work that it does to help those in need in our community. Not just at Christmas but all year long,” he said.
Henson noted that the Salvation Army is making a “real difference” in the lives of many by helping the poor and those in need, “like true soldiers doing their job to help others regardless of the circumstances.”
Henson added that as Guyana works towards the production of first oil – expected in December – the Salvation Army will also be celebrating 125 years of existence here. “It seems right now that there is this oil fever but let’s see if we can get that same energy and the same focus in supporting this great cause,” he urged.
“…In this season of giving, let’s all give in the spirit of Christmas. The Salvation Army cannot operate without us doing our job. So let us dig deep and donate what we can to support the great work of the Salvation Army and to make this appeal a great success,” he added.
Meanwhile, Divisional Commander Major Matignol Saint Lot, during his welcome and introductory remarks, said that the appeal has been instrumental to facilitate the reaching out to people in need.
This year, like every other, Saint Lot said, the Salvation Army will carry out its annual tradition with their two main components: the letter appeal and the kettle appeal.
The letter appeal, according to Saint-Lot, is done in some places of the Salvation Army world during the Christmas season and even beyond to keep the Salvation Army programmes going while the kettle appeal is held once a year throughout the Salvation Army world, especially at Christmas time.
The kettle appeal, he added, was born out of concern to meet the needs of others.
Saint Lot explained that the annual appeal has now become a Christmas tradition that raises millions of dollars for the Salvation Army programmes which provides food, shelter, rehabilitation, disaster relief and much more for people and families in crisis throughout the world.
“At times, the Salvation Army makes provision to lend rapid responses when there is disaster,” he said.
The aim this year, Saint-Lot said, is to share 1,500 food hampers and to keep parties and share gifts with children from various homes and institutions to spread the Christmas spirit.
“Each day we want to do more, and more and much more but the funds are limited. The funds are not available to do all that needs to be done,” he observed.
