Last Updated on December 14, 2017 by cassnetwork
December 13 in Logansport started like many winter days. It was cold, and later in the day we got a little bit of wind and snow. For someone not listening to the radio or driving by on Wilkinson Street, it would be easy to write this off as just another blustery day.
It wasn’t just another blustery day.
The morning of December 13 was Mr. Dave Workman’s annual radio kettle drive. With the help of Mr. Workman and the local radio staff the event generated $7705 in pledges, with over $10,000 in more donations that came in shortly after the event. This is enough to fund:
11% of the 29,000 meals served annually by the local Salvation Army Corps
15% of the rent, medical, utility assistance distributed annually
The intersection of Wilkinson and Heath was also bustling with activity. When I walked in the gymnasium, shortly after leaving the radio drive, the floor was nearly fully covered with clothes, toys, and other donated items for children and families in need (thanks to the many individuals and organizations that made this possible!). Volunteers and staff saw hundreds of people during the day, loading heavy bags of Christmas cheer in cars and helping our friends and neighbors with food from another room down the hall. When I left that afternoon, the floor was nearly empty.
As a child I recall a Christmas where my family’s breadwinner, thru no fault of his own, saw his work hours drop from 60+ to about 15 because the housing building bubble busted. I recall when a scout group in our neighborhood needed a meeting place and the local corps took them in. As an adult paid and volunteer professional in emergency services, I’ve come to see a corps that is always willing to answer the call but usually arrives before I’m done dialing the number. When I was housing authority director, I always appreciated the way the office staff went above and beyond to help connect people in need with resources even when the Salvation Army itself didn’t have the exact program they needed.
The Salvation Army is a cause I believe in deeply and one I am proud to support. On behalf of the many clients the Army serves each year, I want to thank YOU for enabling the local corps to deliver its mission. Without you, none of the work carried out by our Officers, Staff or most importantly dedicated volunteers and community partners would be possible.
Thank you, Logansport, for supporting YOUR local corps!
Rocky Buffum
Advisory Board Chairman
The Salvation Army Logansport Corps