Ringing extra loud: Local Salvation Army faces funding gap

The Petaluma branch of the nonprofit is facing a reduction in donations this year.|

Penngrove resident David Burke says his holidays might be a lot gloomier this year without help from Petaluma’s Salvation Army.

It’s been more than a year since the retired Vietnam War Navy veteran found himself battling cancer while balancing a variety of other health problems and struggling to make ends meet. He said the local Salvation Army welcomed him with open arms, and he now visits the east side facility at least once a month to get boxes of food - a small service from an organization he said has a big impact on his quality of life.

“It’s been one of the best experiences of my life,” he said. “I’m very grateful.”

This Christmas season, the 72-year-old decided to give back by volunteering as a full-time bell ringer for the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign. Starting Nov. 25, Burke took up a post outside the downtown Grocery Outlet market, spreading cheer from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Burke, who wears a Santa hat to complement his flowing white beard and glasses that together evoke a markedly Santa-esque appearance, jokes with passersby and poses for photos while collecting donations to help support the charitable organization.

“This is just what I’m doing. I’m giving my time and my energy and my charm and my wit and my sterling personality,” Burke said with a laugh. “I can’t tell you how many times a day I hear kids from across the parking lot yelling ‘Santa!’”

Burke’s effort, which has so far generated more than $1,000 in donations, stands out in season that’s so far been relatively bleak for the Petaluma Salvation Army. There has been a slump in the number of volunteers and sites available for bell ringing, factors which have contributed to a reduction in donations, according to Major Mitham Clement.

The organization, which provides services for more than 3,500 families in the Petaluma and Penngrove areas, is slowly inching closer to its goal of collecting $80,000 in donations by Dec. 24, though things have been off to a slow start, Clement said. An estimated $23,000 in donations has been collected, coming in about $7,000 behind the total donations gathered this time last year, he said.

Money from the fundraiser will be used to provide 200 local families with Christmas assistance that includes food, toys and clothing, he said. Donations also help the organization fund the portfolio of other services offered throughout the year, including a food pantry for low-income families, financial assistance with utility bills, supplies for school children and other programs for those in need.

Some 16 percent of the organization’s $500,000 annual budget is funded through Red Kettle Campaign donations, he said.

To help raise awareness, two of Petaluma’s top public safety officials took to the streets in downtown Petaluma for four hours Friday to face off in a bell ringing challenge, a yearly tradition that kindles a friendly rivalry between the police and fire departments. Various personnel from each department also donned Santa hats and handed out candy canes while collecting donations from drivers and pedestrians.

For Petaluma Fire Department Chief Leonard Thompson, who with his team raised an estimated $1,700, ringing the bell was a way to lend a hand to an organization that makes a difference in the lives of the people his agency serves.

“This is a great cause for serving the community,” Thompson said. “We have a lot of need in the community and this is one small way police and fire can give back.”

Interim Petaluma police Chief Ken Savano, whose team raised around $2,700, said he was grateful for the chance to assist the Salvation Army.

“Spending four hours on a Friday is not too much to ask,” he said. “It’s spreading Christmas cheer and supporting a good cause. It’s a fun day and we can shake hands and interact with the community we serve.”

The Salvation Army is still looking for volunteers in the final weeks of the campaign, and is seeking as many as 44 volunteers a day for bell ringing shifts from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 10 Petaluma locations, Clement said.

“The more volunteers we have, the better we will do,” Clement said, adding that eight individuals and several services groups are currently signed up.

Moving forward, Clement said he’s confident that the community will rally to support those in need.

“Petaluma, Penngrove and Cotati always come through for the Salvation Army,” he said. “We hope that we’re not in that situation (where the goal is not met). The community has always been supportive.”

To learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact the Salvation Army at 769-0716.

(Contact Hannah Beausang at hannah.beausang@arguscourier.com.)

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