Red Kettle kickoff
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 2 months AGO
Don "Pepper" Smock, owner and president of Coeur d'Alene Windermere Real Estate, presents a $10,000 check Friday to Christy Markham, Kroc Center development director, for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign.
BILL BULEY/Press
Windermere Coeur d'Alene Real State team members are filmed Friday for a short clip that will show Oct. 27 when a promotional campaign kicks off for the Salvation Army's virtual Red Kettle Campaign. From left, Pat Krug, designated broker Idaho and Washington, co-owner; Don "Pepper" Smock, owner, Larry Frisbie and Joan Genter, real estate agents.
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | October 10, 2020 1:06 AM
COEUR d’ALENE — For Don “Pepper” Smock, donating to the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign is personal.
“I grew up on a dirt street in Coeur d’Alene,” he said. “I know when you help people, especially children who can’t help themselves, you help the entire community.”
Smock, owner and president of Windermere Coeur d’Alene Realty, presented a $10,000 check to the holiday fundraising program on Friday.
Pepper and Midge Smock have given funds to the program for several years.
“We help people have a direction in their lives,” Pepper Smock said. “That’s one reason I have a heart for this.”
Christy Markham, Salvation Army Kroc Center development director, said the donation is the single largest to the Red Kettle Campaign and sets a great tone toward its goal of $190,000.
“No one else matches what they do for the kettle campaign,” she said.
The Smocks’ gift will basically replace an entire day of Red Kettle contributions.
“It’s pretty significant,” Markham said.
The Salvation Army would normally begin its bell-ringing program the day after Thanksgiving at 20 sites around Kootenai County and run it through Christmas Eve.
Due to the coronavirus, it won’t begin until Dec. 5, which means they will have fewer days than usual to receive donations.
There was even a chance they wouldn’t be allowed to put the famous red kettles out at all, but the Salvation Army’s national offices recently gave the green light.
Kettles will be at Fred Meyer and other grocery stores.
”So we’re good, it’s just a shortened season,” Markham said. "It did mean we had to get creative with the fundraising and do some virtual kettles early.”
The Salvation Army Kroc Center will launch a virtual campaign to "Rescue Christmas" on Oct. 27 with live Facebook events.
They filmed some short clips in advance for that kickoff at the Windermere office on Friday.
Volunteer bell ringers are needed, “more than ever this year.”
Volunteers typically cover 25% of hours at the kettle while 75% of the hours are covered by paid staff working the kettles 15–35 hours per week.
“Due to the shortened season, we will be relying on a volunteer kettle staff,” according to the Kroc Center website.
Info: www.kroccda.org
ARTICLES BY BILL BULEY
Man survives after falling tree strikes car
Wife, children OK after freak accident in Blanchard
Sandpoint man survives after tree smashes into car
CDA woman hears, feels tree come down on home
CDA woman hears, feels tree come down on home
Shaken, but OK, Kay was relieved the damage wasn’t worse. She has family around for help and said while the home had no power, it was livable.
Post 143 commander says 'Be The One' will save veteran lives
Post 143 commander says 'Be The One' will save veteran lives
Post 143 has an obligation to get involved, Shaw said. “We're trying to do something about it,” he said.