Submitted by Monica Bailey, Board Member

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty purposeful about how I give of my time and money. I have trusted Salvation Army as an organization and a service for many years. Motivated by a love of God and others, this national 501(c)3 nonprofit is known for spending as little as possible on administrative costs, and as much as possible on local needs, including food assistance, emergency rent and utility assistance, youth and senior programs, eyeglasses, wheelchair repair, dental work, and more. In recent months we’ve helped medical patients with fuel to get back and forth to treatments, paid for milk and lunches at school, purchased a tire for someone to be able to travel to work and keep his job, supplied backpacks for the Atchison County back to school fair, and bought personal hygiene products for students.

An amazing 84% of what is donated locally stays in Atchison County, and even more in the event of a disaster such as our recent floods. Most of Atchison County Salvation Army’s annual fundraising happens in December, when bell ringers and red kettles are out in abundance. You can help support our local Salvation Army (and spread holiday cheer, which is sorely needed in 2020!) in many ways this month.

Ring the bell (or donate!) in Fairfax on Friday, December 4.

Ring the bell (or donate!) in Tarkio on Saturday, December 5.

Ring the bell (or donate!) in Rock Port on Tuesday, December 22, or Saturday December 23.

Send a tax-deductible donation to: Atchison County Salvation Army, 218 S. Maple Street, Tarkio, MO 64491 (envelopes are inserted in this week’s Atchison County Mail).

Please reach out to any of the following Atchison County Salvation Army board members if you want to sign up for bell ringing or if you have any other questions: Jim Clodfelter, Sally Wehman, Bob Alldredge, Janene McEnaney, Carol Herron, Bill Slaughter, Chris Stevens, Tammy Grossman, and Sam O’Riley.

We would appreciate your support of Salvation Army this holiday season, so we can continue to care for our neighbors in times of need.