After putting ina four-hour shift in support of the Salvation Army on Dec. 22 at Sacve On Foods, I came away with some profound feelings about our community, its people and how they supported the Salvation Army’s urgent need.
Arriving just before my appointed time of 11 a.m. I found the checkout aisles were already full and they continued that way for the four hours I shook the bells.
Let me say how much I admired the staff at Save On Foods. The lines were constant, the people just kept pouring in and their shopping carts were overflowing – to say the least.
Shaking the bells is not only a rewarding experience, it gives one an overview of our community at all of its levels, and all ages: Senior ladies who by tradition were dressed to the nines as they have been for the last umpteen years, young couples wearing today’s styles, families with there kids looking for the candy canes that were handed out as people donated.
I was impressed with the giving nature of our Cochrane neighbours who had heard of this year’s shortfall as the Kettle program had fallen much behind on its needs.
Yes, many accepted the cheery “Merry Christmas” greeting and merrily passed by, but the gentleman who stripped a crisp $50 bill out of his wallet for the kettle rewarded me. And the lady who was embarrassed by not having any change with her and went all the way out to her car in the parking lot and came back to drop off her donation. The grey-haired lady who stopped by to relate how her dad had come back from the Second World War with stories of how the Salvation Army did so much for our troops during that time of horror.
I was shocked by a story relayed to me by a coffee partner at the Cochrane Science Centre (A&W) just before I headed over to my kettle.
His role was to seek out seniors and those in need to extend help and support. He was sent to a senior’s home to see what help might be needed. He the senior’s fridge and was shaken for it was completely empty. He then went over to his cupboard where he found a stack of cat food cans neatly stacked on the shelves.
My kettle was empty at the start, you helped fill it with hope. What a great way to share our good fortune, I hope some of it fills that senior’s shelves.
Lets keep the spirit alive.
Stu Bradley
