B.C. chapters of the Salvation Army prepare for a different kind of Christmas season

The Christmas kettle campaign is one of the most important fundraisers for the Salvation Army — but it will look different this year because of COVID-19.

Prince George Salvation Army Major Neil Wilkinson says the annual kettle campaign is having trouble on two fronts: recruiting enough volunteers, and finding spaces or businesses with enough room to physically distance. 

"Many of our volunteers are 50 [and older] and they are one of the sectors that are most at risk when it comes to the pandemic and so our key demographic for volunteers is being impeded by the pandemic," Wilkinson said. 

"And so we're having a hard time recruiting people to ring the bells."

Darryl Burry, the lead pastor and executive director of the Kelowna-Lake Country Salvation Army, says while they normally have up to 18 kettles out in the community, they're only putting out 11 this year. 

"Some of the locations we've used in the past [have] been in tight little breezeways so for the safety of everyone, we're trying to ensure that we don't have kettles in those locations to ensure that ... physical distancing can happen," Burry said. 

In addition, every kettle will have a sanitizing station, personal protective equipment for the bell-ringers, and frequent cleanings of the kettle itself. 

While cash is still being accepted, Burry says the Kelowna-Lake Country chapter will be receiving devices that will allow them to take contactless payments via credit or debit card by the beginning of December. 

An important year 

The annual kettle campaign is a crucial one for the Salvation Army as it supports operations throughout the year. 

Burry says this year's fundraiser is more important than ever.

"I think as we all recognize that 2020 has been an extraordinarily difficult year for many. At the Salvation Army, we've seen our numbers increase by an average of 61 per cent this year," Burry said. 

Almost half of the current client base, he says, are people who have never had to use Salvation Army services before. 

It's a similar story in Prince George, says Wilkinson.

"We're finding that people are accessing Salvation Army services because of the prolonged COVID [pandemic]," Wilkinson said.  

"People who have lost their jobs or have to be on COVID time off and they're not being able to re-enter the workforce ... The supports that are in place are helpful, but they're not quite making all the ends meet."

Wilkinson says the high demand combined with the constrained ability to campaign could lead to trouble. 

"If there is a substantial shortfall, then it will become very difficult to figure out how to make ends meet for the next 12 months to the next fundraising season."