Volunteers: Making the Impossible, Possible!

Food Packing Day

Impossible. That is what Christmas at The Salvation Army would be without volunteers.

This Christmas more than 1,800 volunteers provided 7,635 hours of service. That many volunteers is the size of a small army. Which is kind of perfect!


Volunteer Davey from Pepsi was up
to his ears in stuff animals!

As the volunteer coordinator, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people who were willing to give of their time just so others could have a Merry Christmas. As I was thanking our volunteers it blew my mind when they started thanking me!

The people who stood on their feet all day in a freezing warehouse were thanking me for this experience? Wow. I thought the cold or exhaustion had finally started getting to them. Then I realized something that everyone at The Salvation Army already knew. We truly have the most amazing volunteers in the world.

Serving a holiday meal.

If you gave any of your time to us this holiday season or even this year, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We couldn’t do it without you!

Thanks, so much,
 - Jenny




Activity              Volunteers             Hours

Bell Ringing *                 304               1520
Angel Tree                      240                 960
Christmas Eve Meal         35                   70
Gift Sorting                    150                 600
Checking Bags                  30                 150
Distribution                     750                3000
Food Sorting*                   75                  375
Thanksgiving                    46                    92
Food Packing                 217                  868

Total Volunteers/Hrs  1847               7635

Red Kettles, Tradition and Why It's Important

“Hurry up, Mom. It’s cold!” complained my son as we stood outside a store, the first winter snow slapping us in the face. I was digging in my purse for a dollar to put in the Salvation Army red kettle. “Let’s just skip it,” he said. “What difference can just one dollar make?”

Just then I was able to put my gloved hand on the dollar bill I just knew was in there. I stuffed it in the kettle and we rushed on. But his comment, “What difference can just one dollar make?” weighed heavy on my mind. I wanted him to understand that it DOES make a difference; that our tradition of never passing a kettle without putting in a dollar was important.

So we volunteered one night to join other Salvation Army employees who volunteer to count kettle money. (No small feat for a germaphobe like me; money is riddled with grime and germs!)



Bell Ringer Eli Spillman

We all met in a secluded, private room and proceeded to empty the kettles that had been out with bell ringers that day. The paper money was all wadded or folded up as it must be to slip through the little slot on the kettles. Our job was to unfold each and every bill and smooth it out so it would go through a bill counting machine.

I was worried my 13-year-old would find it tedious and boring but he attacked the job in earnest, carefully smoothing the wrinkles from each bill, doing a little “happy dance” when the bill turned out to be a $10, $20 or $50 and dancing all the way around the room when he found a $100 bill. He was a good worker and as we left I was proud to accept compliments from the other adults about him and his great attitude.

But my “aha” moment came on the way home. We rode silently in the car; me focusing on the icy roads and him listen to “his” music through his headphones. Midway there, he took off the headphones, turned to me and said, “Mom, thanks for letting me do this tonight. Now I get why you put a dollar in every red kettle we pass.” With that he put his headphones back on and turned his focus to the screen of his phone.

I pulled into a QuikTrip and before getting out in the frosty weather to pump gas, I had to ask him what he “got” from that night.

He gave me that look that only a teenager can when they think you’re asking a question that they believe has an obvious answer and said:

“I realized tonight that it isn’t that the money WE put in that makes a difference, but it’s the money we ALL put in that does. If everyone did what we do and never passed a red kettle without putting SOMETHING in, just think of all the good things the Salvation Army could do with all that money. It’s pretty awesome, don’t you think?”

Yes, son, it is awesome. And so are you for “getting it”. I wish more did.

Friday, Dec. 20, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the Tulsa Police and Tulsa Fire Department are having a bell ringing competition at Woodland Hills Mall. Go help them out!

Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21, money dropped in Salvation Army kettles will be matched dollar for dollar.

I invite you to join my son and I in our tradition of always putting something into every red kettle we pass. It makes a difference.

-DJ

Hunger and the Holidays

Although we haven’t yet celebrated Thanksgiving, we are already being surrounded by the sights and sounds of Christmas. Music, advertising, decorations, gift guides; even the Salvation Army has begun its preparation for Christmas. From Angel Tree registration to Bell Ringing schedules and much more, we are well in the midst of our favorite season.

But what about those for whom the holidays aren’t that special: The homeless man crossing the street in the bustle of holiday shoppers; the mother in the grocery store among shoppers buying holiday specialties, while she cannot afford a loaf of bread or a jug of milk?

It is heart breaking to hear stories of Daniel, a single father of a 10-year-old boy who has been struggling since he lost his executive level job. He tells us he has no money and no food and that his electricity will soon be turned off. He is worried his son will spend Christmas sitting in a cold, dark house.

For Daniel, and thousands of families in our community struggling through personal economic crisis, hunger is a dark shadow, always looming. And during this festive Christmas season, it is even harder. Will this be the Christmas where there is no tree, no special dinner, no presents?

But you CAN help. You CAN hold a CANNED food drive to help stock the pantry of The Salvation Army so we can provide a basket of food to Daniel and the thousands of families who will come through our doors to receive Angel Tree gifts. Whether it is at your business, your church, your child’s school or even at your family’s Thanksgiving gathering, anything helps.

Or, you CAN hold your own private drive!

Help us turn this.....                                         

 .... into THIS!

It’s easy! As you go about shopping for Thanksgiving, your Christmas season dinners and parties or just your typical grocery shopping, pick up something extra. We need canned, non-perishable goods and we while we won’t be picky, we especially need canned vegetables, beans, pumpkin, fruit, soup and peanut butter.

Then, bring those cans of food to the west entrance of The Salvation Army Joy Center, 924 S. Hudson, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, (not Nov. 28 or 29!) through Dec. 6, you’ll be putting a little more “merry” into someone’s Christmas.

-DJ

Holiday Volunteer Opportunities 2013

Tis the season! 

 For many people the holiday season is still far, far away. But here at the Salvation Army we have been gearing up for Christmas since July! If you are like us and already have holidays on the brain, we are now accepting volunteers!

   Great for parents and kids to do together!  

Every year thousands come out and help us with a variety of volunteer opportunities, such as: Bell-ringing, Angel Tree Booths, Gift Sorting, Meal Serving, Christmas Distribution, Food Sorting, Food Packing and more.

We hope you will be one of them!

To register for any of these great opportunities click here!

2nd Annual Winter Wonderland Experience 

                            Toy Shop!                             

I am so excited to announce our Winter Wonderland Experience was a huge success last year and we are thrilled to be continuing it again this year! Every year hundreds of volunteers come through our doors during the Christmas season, but most only participate in one holiday opportunity and never get to see all of the efforts taking place to make Christmas wonderful for thousands of local families.

The Winter Wonderland Experience is a unique volunteer experience; you are able to choose how much time you'd like to give and we give you the opportunity to see what goes into creating Christmas joy for thousands in need.

Do you have a heart to serve a holiday meal, but would like to do more? Sign-up for our Snow Flake experience.

Outback Steakhouse employees serve Thanksgiving dinner!

Are you really excited about the season? Already started singing "Silent Night"? Then we have the perfect opportunity for you! Be our Snow Angel and kick off the holidays right with a wide range of holiday volunteer opportunities!

Check out the other wintery opportunities click here! to decide which best fits your holiday schedule. 

Each Winter Wonderland volunteer will receive a limited edition 2nd annual collectable t-shirt to wear while volunteering-- showing the world how special you are to us! You will also be invited to a VIP reception (in January) where you will be honored for your dedication to making The Salvation Army Christmas programs a success!

Spaces are very limited, so I hope to hear from you soon!

-Jenny

The Christmas Spirit

I know it is only August, don't worry I haven't completely lost my mind. However, the last week or so has really gotten me into the full fledged Christmas spirit. This is my 5th Christmas at The Salvation Army and most of our blog readers know by now that it is more than just an "assistance program" around here.  It is sort of like the circus comes to town for about 2 months, camps out in my office and won't leave.

Volunteering in the Toy Shop!

We are already handing out Christmas assistance registration appointments.  These 3,960 slots represent 3,960 Tulsa families and we will set down with each one, review their situation and then determine if they are eligible for assistance. In order to do all this we start in August. So, in my line of work the "holiday season" starts in August and ends in January.  I have adapted but I don't understand why I can't put up a tree or hang stockings until Thanksgiving, by then Christmas is almost over!

In the last few weeks I have worked on projects regarding kettles, toy drives and food drives.

My Mom and I volunteered together
last Christmas!

I say all this to ask you this question, when does Christmas start for you? Are you already buying stocking stuffers, planning holiday meals or most importantly thinking about how you can give back this year? We would love to have you join our team and our needs are great. You can host a toy drive, canned food drive or volunteer to ring bells! Join us in the Christmas Joy Center to help us sort Angel Tree bags, work in the Toy Shop or stock our food baskets.  We have so much for everyone. Holiday Volunteer Dates have already been posted.

Here is a promise from me, if you volunteer this Christmas you will automatically feel more blessed than ever, and even if you already love Christmas you will love it more than you thought possible.  Maybe you will love it so much you decide to start early every year like I do. We can put up our August Christmas trees together.

~Lindsay

Tis the Season: Holiday Volunteer Dates!

HO HO HO! What? It’s just July, why are you talking like Santa? Well, because for us over here at The Salvation Army Christmas season has already begun and one of the most common questions we get is, when can I sign up for volunteering? Well, mark your calendars! 

We have the most-up-to-date list of our Holiday volunteer opportunities. Additional details will be announced on the September 9^th blog. 

August 19 ^th—September17 –Angel Tree Appointment Letters

September 18^th– October 11 –Angel Tree Registration

September 9-Thankgsiving Volunteer Registration Opens and additional details about volunteering will be posted on our blog!

October 1^st—Christmas Volunteer Registration Opens

November 22- December13-Angel Tree

November28-Thanksgiving Meal Service

December 2-18 –Toy Shop

December 7 –Food Sorting

December 14- Food Packing

December 19-21- Gift Distribution

If you are interested in volunteering for any of these opportunities contact Jenny McElyea, Volunteer Coordinator at 918 587 7801 or Jenny_McElyea@uss.salvationarmy.org

    ALSO: We have a large need for Spanish/English speaking volunteers! If you or anyone you know is bilingual please consider volunteering your talent this year!
-
-   --Jenny

Boys & Girls Club Golf Tourney has new title sponsor!

Jim Glover Chevrolet Makes Huge Commitment to The Salvation Army        

Jim Glover Chevrolet is known as one of the most reputable Chevy dealerships in the state.  The dealership’s commercials are some of the most popular on TV, especially in the Tulsa area.  But Jim Glover Chevrolet also gives back to the community and shows a lot of generosity toward The Salvation Army and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Tulsa. 

Jim Glover Chevrolet is the Title Sponsor of the 14th Annual Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Tulsa Charity Golf Tournament. By doing this, the dealership is ensuring more kids get exposed to a safe, positive and nurturing environment by attending one of our six Clubs.

            $1,000 = Provides a Club membership and scholarship for one child to the after school               
                           program for an entire school year.

            $2,500 = Purchases snacks for 40 kids for six months.

            $5,000 = Pays for 142 Boys & Girls Clubs memberships

In addition to being the Title Sponsor of our Golf Tournament, Jim Glover Chevrolet is providing a car as a hole-in-one prize: the 2013 Camaro 2SS Convertible, valued at $45,000!! During our 2012 Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary tournament, we had a golfer hit a hole-in-one and received a free trip, so maybe someone will drive away in this new car!

This isn’t the first time Jim Glover Chevrolet has shown generosity toward The Salvation Army. For the past several years, the dealership has been a major Christmas supporter, donating thousands of dollars toward helping families in Tulsa have a good holiday. 

We appreciate the kindness of the staff of Jim Glover Chevrolet and appreciate all that they do to improve our community.   

-Carrie

Angel Tree 2013

The Salvation Army Angel Tree Gearing Up for Christmas in Tulsa

 This program provides assistance for low income families with children aged 0-12 and for senior citizens aged 62 and older. Tulsa County residents only. Residents of Sand Springs (918) 245-2237, Sapulpa (918) 244-4415 and Broken Arrow (918) 258-7545 must register in their own area.

Applications for the 2013 Angel Tree will be by appointment only. 

Appointment letters available Mon-Thurs. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. beginning August 19, 2013. 

Letters will provide a date/time for a specific appointment between Sept. 18th and Oct. 11th.

Letters can be picked up at: Salvation Army Tulsa Area Command, 924 S. Hudson Ave.

To be eligible for assistance parties must provide:

• Current photo ID: drivers license, passport, state ID or school photo ID.
• and Housing, TANF or Food Stamp documents showing all members of the household

or

• Proof of residence in Tulsa County: (One of the following) utility bill, phone bill, rental agreement, other mail matching ID
• Proof of household income: (One of the following) pay stub, unemployment documentation, documentation that shows how the household is maintained. NOTE: All members of the household must be accounted for by some type of ID or birth certificate. (see SNAP income guidelines for family size and income requirements for assistance)
• Proof of children: (One of the following) Birth certificate, shot records with DOB, any legal form that has the name of the child and DOB (no social security cards).
• Proof of child's residence in Tulsa County: (One of the following) report card, proof of current enrollment or shot record.

Thank you volunteers!

The Police vs. Fire competition
is legendary.

Impossible. That is what Christmas at The Salvation Army would be without volunteers. This Christmas more than 2,000 volunteers provided 8,805 hours of service. Two thousand volunteers is the size of a small army. Which is kind of perfect!

As the volunteer coordinator, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people who were willing to give of their time just so others could have a Merry Christmas. As I was thanking our volunteers it blew my mind when they started thanking me! The people who stood on their feet all day in a freezing warehouse were thanking me for this experience? Wow. I thought the cold or exhaustion had finally started getting to them. Then I realized something that everyone at The Salvation Army already knew. We truly have the most amazing volunteers in the world.

If you gave any of your time to us this holiday season or even this year, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We couldn’t do it without you!

Without our volunteer food sorters
our staff would have to work DAYS
to get the job done!

Type of Activity                   Volunteers        Hours Served

Bell Ringing                             403                      2250

Angel Tree                              196                      784

Christmas Eve Meal                  38                      76

Gift Sorting                               99                      396

Checking Bags                          33                     122

Distribution                              838                     3392

Food Sorting                           222                     667

Food Packing                          373                    1119   

Total Volunteers                    2,202                    8,806

Thank you so much!

 -Jenny

Shoeless child touches hearts

When you’re busy processing, packing and distributing gifts and toys for 9,500 people – mainly children – it was sometimes easy to get so caught up in “making it happen” that you forgot what you really were making happen.

On the first day of distribution the weather was bitter cold. I was helping a mother take her items to her car when her little girl who appeared to be about seven came running to meet us, hoping she might catch a glimpse of what was in “her” bag. (She couldn’t. The bags are opaque for that reason!) I looked down at her feet and saw that they were bare, leaned over and said, “Missy, what in the world are you doing without your shoes on? It’s freezing out here!” Still bouncing with excitement she said to me in a very matter of fact manner, “I don’t have any shoes anymore. Our house burned down the other night.”

 I looked up at the mother who shrugged her very weary shoulders and said, “We thought me losing my job was the worst thing that could happen before Christmas then our house caught on fire. We have nothing left and had no insurance. If it weren’t for you [The Salvation Army], we wouldn’t even have a Christmas.”

Angel Tree with the Least of the These

My daughter is a 'least of these'. She's actually my foster daughter and has been in DHS custody for over a year; she and her younger brother have been with my husband and I since July of this year. They were placed with us about a week after I started my job as a grant writer here at Salvation Army. These kids are hilarious, fun, exhausting and challenging; we love it, but we are finding that we have to be very intentional about teaching them "Life Lessons,"while we can.

My husband and I have always shopped for Angels off the Angel Tree in the past, usually one for him- a boy- and one for me- a girl. This year, we have 2 little ones to buy for already, but I was loathe to give up tradition. So this year, I decided to include our foster kids.

We made it out to the Angel Tree kickoff at Promenade Mall. At age 5, Miss M (as we call her in blog-land) was unimpressed with the kickoff in general--too loud. But she did like the girls' singing group, MP3, in their matching outfits and "shiny hair."

MP3 girls group at the Angel Tree Kickoff (11/17/12)

After Kickoff, we picked out a Angel from the big tree, just her age, named "Lisbeth" and set off to pick out some gifts for "her Angel."

At first, she did a great job of picking out toys. She "ennie meenie mineie mo'd" between which Baby Alive doll 'Lisbeth' was to get- Hair Salon Baby Alive or Magic Meals Baby Alive.

Hair Salon, duh.

But she struggled a bit with stocking stuffers, as we picked out Hello Kitty stickers and pencils and Disney princess playing cards. I gently asked her if she was picking out things for herself or for Lisbeth, and she admitted they were for her. But soon we were back on the right track. 
~~~~~~

Miss M's letter to her Angel.

Every time we added something to the bag, we would talk a little about what we were doing and why. In my own blundering, non-parental way, I tied to impress on her how it is important to share what she has, to be grateful for those who love her and that there is always someone who has less than you do. 

Miss M is pretty smart, but I think the literal and logistics of the Angel Tree, may have gotten blurry during our conversations. She asked me, the day I went to take the Angel Tree bag in to work, "How will she get them {the toys}, up in Heaven?" I stifled a giggle and tried to explain that our "Angel" was a real girl, just like her, and that she needed extra toys and we were like her personal Santa! How fun!

Santa, she understood.

And boy, I felt like Santa, when I went to check in shelve the Angel bag. I walked past row after row of shelves, 3 levels high, with toy bags packed in, till I found Lisbeth's family bag.

Turns out, she's the youngest of 4 girls. And her bag was the last one to be added to the families' bag. Those lovely little girls would all get all their hearts desired, thanks to people they didn't know.
As I marked the bag tag with a big "C" for  "Complete," I felt the warehouse dust prick my nose. And eyes. Lots of tear-inducing dust in the warehouse.
~~~~
 And I don't know about you, but I've been near tears many times since (including today, as I wrote this post), thinking about the poor babies in Newtown, Connecticut. So close in age to Miss M and Lisbeth and so many of my friends' kids. So close to Christmas. Lodged in our hearts and the back of our throats.

But as a donor said to me this afternoon, as I took her donation for the Angel Tree over the phone, "it's the least I can do for kids in need, especially this Christmas."

So, do what you can. Shine a light in the dark. There is always someone more in need than you. Miss M can attest.

--Vicki

A Special Thank You to a Special Group of People

 “ I really appreciate all that you do, and I’ll do what I can to help to make sure you help as manypeople as you can.  There are a lot of people who need what you have to offer.”

    These are very kind words from a woman who has been a loyal Salvation Army donor for several years. I got the pleasure of meeting her at the Donor Thank You luncheon held at the Tulsa Area Command in late November. 

    We want our donors to know how much their generosity helps our mission. Whether it’s a $5 donation or a $5,000 donation, all of our donors get a thank you card.  We also send thank you cards from Advisory Board members and staff to those who give a large donation. But we wanted to do more. That’s why our Donor Relations Committee, made up of eight Advisory Board members, wanted to do a Thank You luncheon. 

Arletta Robinson, Executive Director of the Center of Hope

    We invited a small group of donors to Area Command for a holiday meal, followed by a quick program. Arletta Robinson, Executive Director of the Center of Hope, told the crowd about her case workers.  These men and women deal with people needing help the most, hearing story after story that would break the hearts of many.  

The luncheon concluded with a tour of the facility, including our Joy Center, which is full of toys and food that we will hand out to thousands of people next week. One of the donors even shed a tear during the tour, getting a better idea of what we do, and who we help. 

    The luncheon was not a fundraiser, just a simple way to say thank you to those who make it possible for us to do our work. It’s always interesting to find out why people give and important to us to let them know that they’re appreciated too. 

-Carrie

Celebrate the Holidays with Alliday!

I love handmade stuff. In fact, I've called myself a 'craft maven' on more than one occasion. I love to DIY home decor and art and I've tried my hand at sewing pillows, curtains, even purses.

But I also recognize that I can't make everything myself (clothes, psssh) and therefore love hitting up a good craft show to see what amazing things other people make. 

One of the best craft shows around is Alliday- and I'm not just saying that because they are sponsoring a Toy Drive for us.

This year is the 3rd annual Alliday show and frankly, I'm excited to have an excuse to swing by on Saturday. Doors open at 9am on Saturday, Dec. 15th until 5pm. The Alliday Show is located at the Ford Truck Exhibit Hall at the Fairgrounds (21st and Yale) in Tulsa. Show details available on the show's website or  Facebook page.

Show organizer, Briana Shipley, is a seasoned crafter and blogger over at Bifftastica. She's also a new mom, so major kudos to her for pulling this whole thing off!

Brianna also keeps a great Alliday blog, in which she features a new show vendor each day, building up to the event. It's pretty cool. So far, she's featured candle makers, painters, silversmiths and...fudge makers. (YUM). Check it out. 

As I mentioned, Alliday is hosting a Toy Drive, benefiting the Salvation Army's Forgotten Angels. 
Angel Tree angels are due today (12/12) and at this writing, over 2,500 Angels have yet to make their way back to the Joy Center. 

We expect a tidal wave of toy bags tonight, but believe it or not, there will be Angels who don't get returned. These are the Forgetten Angels. The numerous toy drives throughout the city (14 at last count) this season will go to fill the bags of the Forgotten Angels.

The Alliday Show on 12/15 is literally the last opportunity to contribute a toy, as gift distribution will begin on 12/18. You can also bring all that change you have been holding on to because a Red Kettle and bellringer will be posted outside all day. PLUS, there is a match for funds raised in kettle on Saturday so $1 becomes $2! (Thanks to Tulsa Gold & Silver)

BUT, to sweeten the pot, if you bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Alliday Toy Drive, you can enter to win a prize pack of goodies from the artists of Alliday! Contributions from half a dozen artist and counting!

So, come on out, bring a toy, buy some awesome handmade stuff and maybe win a great prize pack! See you Saturday!

-Vicki

Spirit of Giving

When you work for the Salvation Army, it’s easy to get into the holiday spirit. You’re surrounded by people who willingly work extra hours and spend their own money to help those who need it most this time of year. 

Although this is only my second Christmas with the Army, I’m constantly amazed at the generosity of others. 

I’ve been receiving endless amounts of phone calls from people wanting to donate anything from $25 to $2,500. 

There’s also an abundance of companies and groups wanting to do their part to help.  This list includes:

• ORU Students & Faculty – Donated 1,270 toys and canned foods through their 5th Annual Bring Good Cheer Toy Drive
• Jimmy’s Egg – Providing a warm breakfast for our bellringers later this month.
• QuikTrip – Donated hundreds of coupons for our bellringers to get a warm sandwich after spending several hours in the cold weather, ringing that bell.
• Panera – Donated bagels throughout November for our bellringers.
• Queenies – Donated muffins, fresh out of the oven, for our bellringers earlier this month.
• Mod’s Coffee & Crepes – For four consecutive Thursdays (November 29th, December 6th, 13th and 20th), Mod’s is donating 25% of its sales from 4pm-10pm to help get donations for our “forgotten angels.” These are angels on our angel trees that are either left on the tree, or not returned.
• JC Penney – When shoppers check out to pay for their gifts, they’re asked if they want to give their change to the Salvation Army to help with our programs.
• AAON and Tulsa Gold & Silver – Both companies are Matching Kettle sponsors. Aaon matched all kettle donations up to $5,000 on Saturday, December 8th. So far, December 8th has been our biggest return for donations – likely because of the kettle match. Tulsa Gold & Silver is taking it a step further, pledging to match up to $10,000 on Saturday, December 15th and $15,000 on Saturday, December 22nd.
• Dilly Deli, Tulsa Oilers, Merritt’s Bakery, Incredible Pizza, Regal Cars, Air Power Systems, 1stStarBank and Miss Jackson’s – All of these are having toy drives for the Salvation Army. This is greatly needed, considering we have 1,000 more angels on our angel tree.

This is just a few of the many, many acts of kindness shown to the Salvation Army this holiday season. We appreciate all of these people, group and businesses for showing what this season is really about by getting into the spirit of giving! 


--Carrie

Kettle Matching Saturdays: $1 = $2!

    When you walk by a red kettle on Saturday, it’s more important than ever to throw in whatever change you may have with you. Why? Because that change will be doubled on the next THREE Saturdays!

    We couldn’t do this without the generosity of two businesses:

 Aaon and Tulsa Gold & Silver.

    Aaon has pledged to match every kettle donation on Saturday, December 8th up to $5,000. This means if you put in $1, it will turn into $2. When I went to thank the people at Aaon, I noticed the company also has an angel tree in its lobby to encourage employees to adopt an angel this season. Aaon definitely has the spirit of giving. 

    Tulsa Gold & Silver has taken their kettle match to the next level. The company will match kettle donations on December 15th up to $10,000 and on December 22nd up to $15,000!! Tulsa Gold & Silver has been a big supporter of the Salvation Army and has really helped our kettle campaign in the past.

 Rachel Davis, whose husband John owns Tulsa Gold & Silver, has a special connection with the Salvation Army: her parents are former officers in the Army! 

    So spread the word! If you see a red kettle, donate what you can. We have more people to help this season and we want to make sure everyone has a smile on their face when they wake up on Christmas morning!

-Carrie

Ring A Bell, Bring A Toy, Get A Deal On A Nutcracker Ticket

Photo from TulsaBallet.com

Watching the Nutcracker ballet is a tradition in my family. Every December, since the age of 4, I have put on my best holiday dress and watched the wonderful tale of a fairyland Christmas.  This year, I’m taking my 5-year-old niece!

You have a unique opportunity to watch the Nutcracker FOR FREE while also helping the Salvation Army.  We are partnering with Tulsa Ballet this Christmas to help bring cheer to the community. 

The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers to ring a bell in front of the Performing Arts Center before and after every Nutcracker performance.  The volunteers will get a free ticket to the Nutcracker and will be able to enjoy the show in between ringing the bell. Bellringing will start an hour before the show and 30 minutes afterward. So for just a few hours of your time, you can enjoy a great holiday show. 

There are eight performances:

• Saturday, December 8th -2pm   TAKEN
• Sunday, December 9th- 2pm
• Saturday, December 15th- 2pm  TAKEN
• Saturday, December 15th- 7pm  TAKEN
• Sunday, December 16th- 2pm
• Saturday, December 22nd- 2pm TAKEN
• Saturday, December 22nd- 7pm TAKEN
• Sunday, December 23rd- 2pm TAKEN
  

Contact Jenny McElyea, Volunteer Coordinator, for volunteer opportunities, via email or phone- 918-587-7801.

In addition, Tulsa Ballet is also holding a Toy Drive for the Salvation Army. If you bring a toy by the Tulsa Ballet building – located at 1212 E 45th Place South (near 45th & Peoria), you will get $5 off a ticket to the Nutcracker! This is a great way to get a discount, while also helped the 8,570 angels on our Angel Trees. 

Thanks to the Tulsa Ballet for helping the Salvation Army make this a happy holiday for everyone!

 --Carrie

"Getting It": Pre-teen Discovers Holiday Spirit

   “Look, Mom! This angel has my name and is exactly half my age!” My son had been scouring the Angel Tree at Woodland Hills Mall after the Kickoff ceremonies, looking for an angel of his own to adopt. Now 12, he announced he was old enough to pick his own angel and asked if he could spend some of his savings to buy the presents for his angel. This proud Mom said yes and gave him a big hug.

I was thrilled that he “got it.” He understood that while we might not be rich financially, we could help a child (six-year-old Riley) have Christmas presents under the tree that he wouldn’t otherwise have. (Did I say I was proud?)

Saturday, The Tulsa Area Salvation Army officially opened the Angel Tree programs at Promenade and Woodland Hills Malls. More than 12,000 angels will be up for adoption. The children and elders the paper angels on these trees represent are counting on people like me, my son, and you, the generous citizens of the Tulsa area, to help them have a Christmas. Not a great Christmas, not even necessarily a good Christmas, but a Christmas at all.

Will you join my son and me in this small act of kindness?  We’re going shopping for our angels this week so we can get them back to The Salvation Army by the deadline of December 12. 
We hope to see you out there too! 
 - DJ


Photos of the event, by DJ Morrow. 

Cash and Carry from K95FM and Lee Ann Taylor from KTUL/Channel 6 talk Angel Tree withMrs April Taylor at Woodland Hill Mass on Satursday, November 17th.

Girls Quintent "MP3" sang at both Promenade and Woodland Hill Mall Kickoff events.

Iconic Salvation Army brass band spread holiday cheer for all to hear!

Stats, Numbers and Units of Hope

As a grant writer, I'm not normally disposed to LIKE working with numbers, I much prefer finessing the English language. But, I do love me some stats.

I like seeing the service numbers from across Tulsa Area Command; I'm always impressed by the sheer breadth of impact that the Army has in Tulsa.

I think it's very important to recognize that each number represents a person, who has had their needs meet, their lives touched by their community's generosity and their heart lifted by hope for even just a few minutes.

We had a great turnout for Thanksgiving, both in volunteers and people served!

Thanksgiving Stats:

70 community volunteers served

meals to 890 guests at Center of Hope

for a total of 144 service hours, 

on Thanksgiving Day.

Wow. 

Thank you, Tulsa!

Now for some Christmas numbers!

Angel Tree Stats:

We have 8,570 child Angels on the trees,

and have 591 Elder Angels to serve as well.

The 4,200 Angel Tree families will receive food baskets 

with fresh fruit, milk, eggs and canned goods, 

when they come to pick up the Angels gifts.

We need your help to make Christmas as big of a success as Thanksgiving was! Canned food drives are helping to fill the canned food need, but the fresh items must be bought and stored on site.

That's

 4200 dozen eggs

8600 gallons of milk

4200 bags of apples

4200 loaves of bread

4200 bags of oranges

4200 boxes of Bisquick

4200 packages of stuffing 

We're on our way with lots of support from our Board, but need your help to make sure every family gets a basket. 

Won't you consider sponsoring a food item?

or 

Picking up an Angel for each angel in YOUR life?

or 

Come volunteer your time to ring a bell, 

work a shift at the Angel Tree table 

or hand out food baskets? 

 
Contact, Lindsay Sparks, Development Director for a complete list of Christmas funding opportunities! Email or phone (918-587-7801)

Contact Jenny McElyea, Volunteer Coordinator, for volunteer opportunities, via email or phone- 918-587-7801.

-Vicki Thorne

Full Kettles Warm Hearts

It’s a sign that the holidays are here: big red kettles, the sounds of bells ringing and a kind bellringer wishing me a “Merry Christmas.”

The 2012 Salvation Army Kettle Campaign is officially underway and we hope to raise $650,000 this year. The goal is bigger this year because we are helping more people. The Salvation Army is providing food baskets to 4,200 families. We have 8,570 children on our Angel Trees, an increase of more than 1,000 from 2011. We’re also providing assistance to 591 Elder Angels.

The new Reasor’s in Bixby (which has a terrific salad and hot bar, by the way) helped us kick off our kettle campaign in a big way. After unveiling our $650,000 goal, store manager Anthony Fulfaro announced Reasor’s was matching donations on the first day of kettle ringing, up to $5,000. Reasor’s customers were very generous, helping us bring in $6,520.01 on our first day! 

Major Taylor also explained the history behind the red kettle and how it became a fixture at Christmastime.  In 1891, Captain Joseph McFee started a tradition to provide a free meal to the less fortunate on Christmas Day. From his days of being a sailor, he remembered seeing a big pot being used to take in donations on the streets of Liverpool, England.  Captain McFee got permission to try this idea in San Francisco and used the call of “Keep the Pot Boiling” to draw in passengers and donations.

Many people say they feel good when they drop money into one of the red kettles.  A full kettle warms the hearts of those who are giving – and receiving. 

-Carrie

Toys! Toys! Toys!

You may have heard the news, but the Angel Tree is loaded down with needy Angels this year. We have almost 1000 additional Angels over last year, in need of some holiday cheer.

Lindsay, our Development Director, said when the numbers came in, "We are going to need lots of toys this year! We need toy drives, toy drives, toy drives!"

And as newly crowned Queen of Toy Drives, I'm excited to tell you all that we HAVE several toy drives lined up! From the annual KTUL/BOK toy drive to a first-year drive at the Alliday Craft Show, we are excited to be working towards making Christmas fun for all of our Angels.


The most unique toy drive in Tulsa is Social Media Tulsa's annual #Tweet4Toys event. You may remember the event from last year from our Random Act of Kindness post, and this year they are back, for their 3rd annual toy drive event!

Social Media Tulsa is a unique group of technology minded folks (of which I am a proud member) who use social media tools, like Twitter, Facebook and Google+, to facilitate communication, business and community. They have meetups throughout the year and host a conference in March; you can join their Meetup group or follow along on Twitter by using the hashtag #smtulsa.