The Salvation Army – Roaring Fork Valley will kick off its annual Red Kettle campaign with a community gathering from 1-3 p.m. Saturday at New Hope Church, 880 Castle Valley Blvd., New Castle.

The event is designed to energize the community ahead of the holiday fundraising season and recruit more volunteers to ring bells at kettle locations throughout the valley.

Jan Sweikert, a longtime Salvation Army volunteer and advisory board member, said the kickoff comes at an important time. She has volunteered with the organization for seven years and rings the bell three days a week throughout December.

“Our big issue is trying to recruit enough volunteers,” Sweikert said. “We’ve lost some financial assistance, especially since COVID, when we had a lot of people donating.”

Sweikert said every dollar raised at Red Kettle stations stays local.

“All the money that we raise with the Red Kettle comes right back into the community to the services that we offer,” she said. “It’s such an important thing for us.”

The organization provides emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities, transportation, prescriptions and shelter, and supports people experiencing homelessness with tents, sleeping bags, winter clothing, grooming kits and food.

This will be the third year the local branch has organized a kickoff celebration.

“Our purpose is just to get the community excited about volunteering, really, and raising the funds that we need so that we can help the community,” Sweikert said. “It’s just to get people excited about this time of year and the efforts that we make to raise money.”

The Red Kettle Kick Off will include food, entertainment and a silent auction. Sweikert said it is the only community fundraising event the Salvation Army holds each year.

For more information about the kickoff event or becoming a bell-ringer volunteer, call 970-945-6976.