The Salvation Army’s 2011 Christmas Kettle Appeal has received a $1.2 million jump-start towards its $12-million target from an associated partner, Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank).
Michael Shaw, district vice-president for Scotiabank’s northern region, presented the cheque for $200,000 – the second tranche of the funds – to the Salvation Army during the programme’s Montego Bay launch at the Second City’s Civic Centre last week.
Prior to this, $1 million was donated by Scotiabank during the Kettle’s launch in Kingston.
“Scotiabank has always been involved in community activities, and as such, this is another venture that we have done annually. The premier launch is actually in Kingston, but Montego Bay, being the Second City, is also a beneficiary of our philanthropy,” Shaw explained.
“As such, we were able to give, this morning, back to these communities in which we live and make our living from, where our own people are from. So it was with great pleasure that we made this donation this morning to the Salvation Army, and we will continue to do so as long as time permits.”
Salvation Army advisory board chairperson, Veviene McDonald-Calder, thanked the bank for its assistance over the years.
Demands increasing
“Every year, the demands on the Salvation Army get greater and greater. So we are thankful to you, our supporters, and we’d like to ask you to continue to support the Salvation Army because we have many, many neighbours who are truly in need, and we’d really like to bring some Christmas cheer to them again this year.”
This year’s Kettle Appeal is being held under the theme ‘Christmas: Sharing Love’, and will continue until December 24. The donated funds will provide meals and other support for the less fortunate.
The Christmas Kettle tradition began in 1891 when Salvation Army captain Joseph McFee sought to provide a free Christmas dinner to the less fortunate in San Francisco, United States of America.
-Gleaner
