Starting Friday, members of the Salvation Army will be set up throughout the City of Calgary, collecting donations for the organization’s kettle campaign.
The Hope in the City luncheon is the official start to the group’s Christmas kettle campaign.
Major Al Hoeft with the Salvation Army says that the initiative is a symbol of hope for the city’s most vulnerable.
“It’s an opportunity for us, as a community to rally around our neighbours, to support one another and to be to, through the work of the Salvation Army, to support them.”
The kick-off event was hosted by General (Ret.) Rick Hillier, former Chief of the Defence Staff for the Canadian Armed Forces.
He was honoured to speak at the conference, saying that it was a crowd of leaders.
“Over 800 people in that room and every one of them is a leader, either in their personal life, their neighbourhood, their community, their business association and now, for the City of Calgary, they’re there for the greater good of the province and our country.”
Hillier says the Salvation Army has given so many people hope, and the Christmas kettle campaign helps support the agency.
“They can only do that when they have the financial support of things like the Christmas kettle program. They can come in and change someone’s life, but they can’t do it without that help.”
CTV Calgary’s own Darrel Janz was also honoured during Friday’s event for his long service of volunteering with the Salvation Army.
Organizers say the main goal of this year’s campaign is to raise a million dollars.
