Waukesha Salvation Army exceeds fund-raising goal

Jan. 18, 2010

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By Laurel Walker of the Journal Sentinel

Jan. 18, 2010 0

Waukesha - The Salvation Army in Waukesha surpassed its Christmas campaign goal by nearly 6%, directors Ron and Carol Lemirand announced Monday.

A total of $502,000 was raised - $334,312 of it through the red kettle bell ringing volunteers and the rest from contributions mailed directly to the Salvation Army.

The goal was $475,000, slightly more than the $465,000 raised during the Christmas 2008 season.

A record number of people were involved in ringing bells at kettle stands - about 1,557 volunteers, said Carol Lemirand.

The campaign's success means that Salvation Army services will not be cut and perhaps will be expanded, from its meal program to utility assistance to homeless shelter stays.

In contrast, United Way of Waukesha County announced late last year it would cut agencies' grants by 10% for the first quarter of 2010 because it was falling short of its $5.1 million goal. As of last week, United Way reported donations of $3,765,669 million - 27% below its goal.

According to the Lemirands, who are completing their first year as directors, the Salvation Army in Waukesha last year provided 14,255 nights of shelter, 4,045 bags of groceries, 223 vouchers for utility assistance, 221 clothing vouchers, 17,703 free hot meals in its community meal program, 5,783 sack lunches for children, 399 backpacks of weekend food in its Snack Pack Program and 4,155 toys to needy children at Christmas.

It also sent 30 campers to the Salvation Army Camp in East Troy and conducted summer day camps at two Waukesha elementary schools and a middle school camp at the Waukesha headquarters.

The Salvation Army is also taking donations for the Haiti earthquake recovery.

Monetary donations can be sent to the Waukesha headquarters, 445 Madison St., Waukesha, WI 53188, with a check marked "Haiti," or by calling (800) 725-2769, or by using the Web site www.waukeshasalvationarmy.org.

About Laurel Walker

Laurel Walker covered local, school and county government for 20 years -- the last half of that at the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel -- before she was named Waukesha County columnist in 1997. Today she writes about the people, places and events around metropolitan Milwaukee with a broad suburban focus. She was the youngest of nine children raised on a central Wisconsin farm before leaving the nest for journalism studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a masters degree at the University of Oregon. She has spent the last half of her life in Waukesha County, where she and her husband raised two sons. Though she has a fondness for life in Waukesha, she eagerly partakes in the culture of the big city to the east and the recreation of the forests to the west. With sons in the arts, she has a special fondness for symphonic music concerts and art museums. She finds peace in a good book at a Northwoods getaway weekend, adventure in family visits to the east and west coasts, and satisfaction in a column well-written that reaches readers.