Red Kettle drive still needs contributions

The Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign in Cape Girardeau is about 70 percent of the way toward its $384,000 goal, Capt. Ronnie Amick said Tuesday.

Although the kettles are gone, people still can donate by mail or online at tsacapegirardeau.org. Kettles are usually put out the weekend before Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving week and are removed Christmas Eve, Amick said.

This year's campaign was six days shorter because Thanksgiving was later in 2013.

Mother Nature also proved to be a detriment because of a major snowstorm in December and severe thunderstorms in November.

The 2012 goal was $320,000, according to a Southeast Missourian article.

Meanwhile, food contributions always are needed. Amick said the drives went well, with about 600 families receiving a food basket with all the fixings for a holiday meal just in Cape Girardeau County.

Items came in from people, schools, Boy Scouts, the VFW and many other organizations.

The Cans Film Festival, conducted in cooperation with Wehrenberg Theatres, netted 23,200 canned food items, said Kevin Dillion, Cape West 14 Cine general manager.

Companywide, Dillion said 330,000 cans of food were collected -- the same as 2012. All cans go to the Salvation Army, he said.

The Cans Film Festival in 2012 yielded 45,000 cans, Amick said.

"This year, the weather stopped it," Amick said.

This is the first year Amick and his wife, Bridgette, and three children have been stationed in Cape Girardeau.

"It's a giving community, and we hope the community comes through for us in the end and helps us reach the goal," Amick said.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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