Salvation Army falls just short of reaching its $265,000 goal

The bells from Salvation Army volunteers quit ringing Saturday afternoon as totals were figured from the organization's donation kettles.

Donations totaled more than $252,000, said Maj. Michael Thomas of the Salvation Army.

While donation totals are approximately $10,000 less than last year, Thomas said he expects to reach this year's goal of $265,000 by the end of next week.

"We'll go to the end of the year raising funds," Thomas said. "We still have some pledges out there from some companies who have been collecting."

Although the Salvation Army would have liked to have reached its goal by Christmas Eve, Thomas said the not-for-profit organization is grateful for the community's support.

Salvation Army kettles were set up at 16 locations in Perryville, Jackson and Cape Girardeau. The fund-raising drive ran from Nov. 14 until 3 p.m. Saturday.

"I think in the past couple days, people have been very generous," Thomas said. "They get the sense of our need for donations and they're in the holiday spirit. We're just so thankful for the community's generosity."

The funds will go into the Salvation Army's general operations budget. Forty percent of its annual budget comes from the holiday fund-raising drive.

Last Sunday, Thomas reported that the Salvation Army had raised $200,000.

jfreeze@semissourian.com