GLENWOOD SPRINGS COLORADO The 2007 Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign once again had a record-breaking year in the Roaring Fork Valley, raising more than $74,000. The total was nearly $9,000 above the previous record set in 2006.

The Salvation Army raised the money with assistance from more than 15 service clubs throughout the valley, including Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis and Key clubs. A couple of sites were controlled by individuals as well.

Three organizations exceeded $10,000 in collections: the Markalunas volunteers with the Aspen Rotary helping; the Roaring Fork Kiwanis at Glenwood Springs City Market; and the Carbondale Rotary Club, which raised the highest amount of any organization bringing in $17,192.

“High praise needs to be given to the Carbondale Rotary Club’s fine effort,” Kettle coordinator Steven Randol stated in a press release. “The Glenwood Springs extension of the Salvation Army gives its heartfelt thank-you to this area’s generous citizens and hard-working Kettle bell-ringers. It has indeed been a Christmas season to remember.”

In addition to the Kettle Drive, the Salvation Army raises funds through an annual holiday mailing to past contributors to the Glenwood extension. An unofficial total of funds raised by this mailing and the Kettle Drive are placed at approximately $122,000.

Those funds are used to avoid evictions where emergency situations have caused
rent delays, and for emergency payment of utilities, emergency travel funds to work and for persons stranded in the area, prescription and medical needs, education in home planning and money management, help in obtaining employment, and emergency family housing.