This week I wish all Sheboygan residents a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I pray that you enjoy time together over the holidays with family and friends. As we all exchange gifts around the Christmas tree please remember to share your talents, time and wealth with those in need. I would like to remind you that some of our Christmas events that celebrate the holiday and support the needy are falling short of their goals to serve the unfortunate.
The Rotary Making Spirits Bright featuring holiday lighted displays at Evergreen Park is behind their past performance. Last year the donated food was able to supply that food banks through May of the next year. The food Pantry Collection is at 41,384 lbs. which is down by 9,700 lbs. This is just a little over half of their 80,000 lbs. of food goal for this year. The car count is 13,145 which is down by 2,300. The cash contributions are also off by about 25%.
The Rotarians, their volunteers and sponsors have put forth a huge effort to build additional displays this year to provide an exceptional experience for all who visit Making Spirits Bright. The new displays this year are an amazing 16,000 white light curtain, Snoopy decorating his dog house and a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, lollipops in Candyland and the elf choir with a director and musical notes.
The project has been nominated for the Chamber Champions Working Together Award and Tourism Bureau’s Tourism Gem Award. Over the previous four years, 228,000 lbs. of food pantry items have been collected for Sheboygan County Food Bank benefiting 10 member pantries and multiple other partners. The donations have been used to finance additional displays and fund community projects of the County Rotary Clubs.
Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the Making Spirits Bright display with your family this holiday season. Your contributions of non-perishable food items and cash donations are appreciated. The Evergreen Park display is open through New Year’s Eve with the exception of Christmas Eve from 5 to 9 p.m.
The Salvation Army has declared a state of Emergency. Their Christmas goal is $525,000 this year and they still have almost half of that total, $250,000 left to raise. The Christmas Campaign which ends on December 31st is $375,000. This includes corporate contributions and mailed donations. That leaves $180,000 in donations to reach their goal. The last day of Red Kettle bell ringing is this coming Saturday, December 24th. The Red Kettles have raised $79,401 out of our $150,000 goal, leaving approximately $71,000 left to raise in the last few days of bell ringing.
For 120 years, the Sheboygan Corps of The Salvation Army has served struggling neighbors, without discrimination. Each year, thousands of area men, women and children come to them for a hand up with shelter, food, and other assistance. With the community’s support, the Salvation Army can continue “Doing the Most Good” for those in the Sheboygan area who need it most.
As you finish your shopping and celebrate Christmas with family and friends, please remember the needy and support these two local organizations who will take care of those needing assistance throughout the year. It’s amazing to see the numerous volunteers who come out to build and man these Christmas projects in our community every year. Please help to make their efforts a success. With your participation we can all continue to make Sheboygan the best place to live.