The Salvation Army will not “ staff ” the Christmas kettles in Kingston, Ontario. this year – Kingston | The Canadian News

The Salvation Army has decided not to “staff” the familiar red Christmas kettles this holiday season.

Officials list a couple of reasons, including the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Kingston area and the safety of their volunteers who are normally next to the kettles.

“We recently set a goal with our budget for this year of raising in the area of ​​$ 320,000,” says Major Larry Bridger of the Salvation Army Kingston Citadel CO.

“We realize that’s a lofty goal in the middle of a pandemic and we think maybe without kettles we could at least get close to that.”

Bridger says it will be a real challenge to get closer to this year’s goal, as the kettles have yet to come out.

However, the Salvation Army will continue to use its contactless “touch machines” to collect donations.

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