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Red kettles need filling 
BELL RINGING: Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the last days to donate to the Taylor Red Kettle Christmas Campaign, which provides assistance to local families in need throughout the year. Local Chairman Tony Sorrells said donations are currently half what they were last year.
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By Leah Fillion Donations less than half of last year, chairman says The red kettles outside Wal-Mart aren't filling up with donations like previous years and with only three days left of collections, local Salvation Army Chairman Tony Sorrells said they have only collected roughly half the amount of money as last year. The Red Kettle Christmas Campaign, which provides assistance to local families in need throughout the year, collected over $18,000 last year. Collections begin the day after Thanksgiving each year. This year, donations have reached about $7,000, Sorrells said. All money collected goes back into the community to assist individuals with utility payments, prescriptions, school supplies, emergency housing, clothing or other necessary items. Just recently the Salvation Army was able to assist a mother whose middle school child became ill, Sorrells said. Because of medical expenses, gas bills to and from the doctors and money lost from days off work, she was having trouble paying bills. Because of money donated during Christmas last year, the Salvation Army was able to pay her utility bill in addition give about $100 in gas money to assist the family. The last week of collections tend to pick up and Sorrells is hoping to see more businesses and civic organizations dropping checks into the kettles as well. The last three days of collections are Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Christmas Eve is usually the most profitable day, however, because of a 14-day restriction for collecting outside Wal-Mart, the organization's last day will be Dec. 22. Sorrells said another likely reason for fewer donations could be higher gas prices and utilities this year making it difficult for people to donate as much money. “The need is more now than it has ever been because (of expenses),” he said. “We hope the last few days will be very productive.”
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