Adam Johnson
Northern News Services
Published Friday, January 4, 2008

YELLOWKNIFE - The holiday season was a slower one for the Salvation Army this year, although it raised a respectable $78,000. The target was $87,000.

Money came from the organization's annual kettle drive and letter appeals.

Itoah Scott puts some money in the donation kettle for the Salvation Army. While kettles brought in more money than expected this holiday season, donations didn't meet the charity's targets this year. - NNSL file photo

"We're about $9,000 short on our letter appeal," said organizer Capt. Dale Sobool.

The letter appeal is a mass mailing campaign that asks Yellowknifers to donate whatever they can.

While he's sure some donations haven't trickled in yet, Sobool said he isn't confident the target will be met.

"There are always some delays in the mail," he said,

"From the flow that came in from Christmas to New Year's, (further donations) may not be sitting there."

One aspect that came in above expectations, however, was the kettle drive, the famous Salvation Army pots set up around the city.

Sobool, who has been with the Salvation Army in Yellowknife just five months, said he wasn't able to provide more complete figures for previous years.

"I should really dig into the books to find out what happened in previous years," he said. "($87,000 is a) solid target."

"It's not an outrageous target either for the community."

Despite the gloomy prediction, this has been an eventful year of donations for the charity.

In early December, Yellowknifer Lynn White and her company, Whiteworks, donated 20 mattresses to the Salvation Army's shelter to replace its aging beds, added to an earlier cash donation.

By the end of December, a Grade 5 class at Ecole St. Joseph raised nearly $700, which translated into 40 to 50 gifts of toys for the Salvation Army Christmas Hamper program.