Red kettle collections drop by about $7,000 - December 9, 2004

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43 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, January 24, 2005   Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery   SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries   Life   Opinion - Politics   Tempo   AP News   Weather   Classified   Archives   Site Map   SPECIAL SECTIONS   Since We Asked   Outdoor Journal   Menu Guide   How To Guide   Wellness Connection   Readers' Choice   Real Estate Showcase   Real Estate Guide   Joy Magazine   Homelife Magazine   Wedding Guide   Passport to the Rogue Valley   EXTRA   Newspaper in Education   Personals   Movie Times   TV Times   E The People   Volunteer Opportunities   Moving to Southern Oregon?   MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad  eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities   Entertainment   Publications   Recreation   Calendar   CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit   Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 9, 2004 Red kettle collections drop by about $7,000 By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune The Medford Salvation Army’s red kettle collections are down by about $7,000 from last year, following the loss of a popular store site and concerns over the background of a bell ringer. By this time last year, the annual charity drive had raised about $40,000 or 40 percent of total collections, said Development Director Carrie Hanson. This year, kettle donations have totaled about $33,000. Part of the decline could be because Target Corp. has banned bell ringers from its department stores nationwide, including the Target store in Medford. That site typically raised about $8,000 during the six-week campaign, Hanson said. Part of the drop may be attributed to concerns over a Medford bell ringer who was discovered to have outstanding felony robbery and theft charges pending against him. Robert William Johnson, 51, has since stopped working as a ringer, officials said. Or, the decline could be something more benign, Hanson said. Advertisement "It could just be that Christmas honestly has snuck up on folks this year," she said. The kettle drive began Nov. 19. Organizers hope that shoppers recognize that the drive raises funds for basic services for poor people in Jackson County. The $8,000 from Target, for instance, provided more than 1,000 hot meals, more than 800 food boxes and more than 350 bed nights at the Salvation Army’s transitional shelter. Bell ringers are stationed at Albertson’s, Bi-Mart, Black Bird, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, G.I. Joe’s, Ray’s Food Place, Safeway, Sherm’s Thunderbird Market and Wal Mart throughout the Rogue Valley. For more information call 773-6965. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives  |  Site Map   E Southern Oregon  | Classified   Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback   ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers