Labor volunteers raised more than $7K for Salvation Army

Union volunteers raised more than $7,000 for the Salvation Army ringing bells and their kettles this season.

Organizer Terry Knoth announced that $3,632.67 was raised from 10 kettles with a $1,500 match from the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary for that day, plus nearly $2,000 the Salvation Army saved by not having to pay bell ringers for the six hours that union volunteers rang the bells.

Knoth said before the pandemic, the union volunteers rang at 20-24 kettles, but this year it was only 10 kettles. “Some stores are only allowing ringing at one of their two doors and some of our groups were having difficulty getting volunteers this year,” he said. “Hopefully next year we will have more kettles again.”

The top three groups raising funds this year were:

• Laborers Local 100, raising $1,080.31 at four kettles.
• Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council (SWICLC) volunteers from Plumbers and Fitters Local 101 and Machinists Lodge 313, raising $1,006.91 at one kettle.
• Laborers Local 459, raising $470.26 at two kettles.

Other groups participating included Carpenters Local 662, Cement Masons Local 90 and East St. Louis Teachers Local 1220.

Knoth congratulated all the volunteers for their “bragging rights.”