Springfield Salvation Army beats fundraiser record

Ryan Ray, development director, said this event is vital to the work being done in Clark County and represents the “incredible giving spirit” in the community.

“It’s 300 of the best of the best in attendance, helping resource a cause that’s been fighting for and serving this area since 1885, and it’s of the upmost importance to us that we steward people’s investments to the very best of our ability,” he said. “People are always thrilled to hear that 82 cents of every dollar they give goes right back into the community, where it’s needed the most. We take great pride in that reality.”

The event raised $114,000 this year, beating last year’s record of $100,097. Two years ago the record was $81,800.

A new single table record was also set by Ride 1 Powersports, who brought in $21,000, with the help of the Highway Hikers Motor Club. The Highway Hikers also broke the record the last two years, with $17,002 last year and $7,967 in 2021.

This year’s theme was “Do Something,” which Ray said were taken from the founder’s command to his son when seeing all the homeless living under a bridge in the late 1800s.

“He told his son to “do something” about it, and his son did. His son would purchase an old match factory, heat it and then open it up to those who needed shelter. That would be the beginning of The Salvation Army’s homeless shelter ministry,” he said.

Kenneth “Barron” Seelig, of the Highway Hikers, was the recipient of this year’s “Others” award, which is only given out one time each year, when the Salvation Army honors an individual or organization that exemplifies an extraordinary spirit of service to others.

“The Season of Giving luncheon sold-out very quickly this year, which is a testament to the belief this community as in their local Salvation Army,” Ray said. “Our guests love the atmosphere. It’s like a big Christmas party, only this “party” has a lot of emotion attached to it, as well as it accomplishes a whole lot of good for others.”

Each table has a minimum sponsorship, but many give beyond that amount, and many do some fundraising before the event to raise their overall table total. All tables have a kettle that gets counted while guests are eating. Then after lunch, the Gold Kettle winners and the total amount raised is announced.

The money raised will help resource the Salvation Arm’s services and programs for the winter months and beyond, Ray said, which include Christmas assistance, utilities assistance, rent and mortgage assistance, food assistance, programs for at-risk youth, a family martial arts program, a task force for seniors in nursing homes, a camp for kids with special needs and more.

This event, which started in 2009, is the group’s biggest fundraiser of the year and helps meet the need in Clark County in the winter months and beyond through a variety of programs and services.