Moose Jaw Express Continues Christmas Stocking Tradition
By Robert Thomas
With Christmas once again fast approaching the Moose Jaw Express is once again continuing a Christmas tradition started decades ago by the now defunct Moose Jaw Times-Herald.
“The Moose Jaw Express is holding our stocking fund again this year. They have a goal of $5,000 and right now you will notice every week at the bottom of the Moose Jaw Express there is a picture of a stocking and as he finances or the monies come in day by day that stocking is shaded in and it moves it way up the stocking to the goal,” Lt Lester Ward from the Moose Jaw Salvation Army said.
Ward made the comments as part of the local Salvation Army kicking off their annual Christmas Kettle Campaign this past Monday morning.
The local Salvation Army has a goal of $65,000 this year with the funds used to provide hampers for the needy and to operate programs for those in need throughout the year.
The Stocking Fun advertisement in the Moose Jaw Express - used with permission
With the Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle Campaign wraps up on December 24th the Christmas stocking runs until the first week of January, Gladys Baigent-Therens from the Moose Jaw Express sales department told MJ Independent.
“The Stocking Fund originated years ago at the (Moose Jaw) Times-Herald and I did formerly work at the Times-Herald for 20 years. I don’t know how far it (the Stocking Fund) goes back. It goes back probably 40 or 50 years and when the Times-Herald closed the Moose Jaw Express gave me a job and I asked about bringing it on here,” Baigent-Therens said.
She said the reason she asked to continue the tradition at the Moose Jaw Express was because of the good things the Salvation Army does for the community - especially those in need.
“I just feel that the Salvation Army Stocking Fund is just an important thing to help them. I think the Salvation Army does wonderful things and the more that we can do for them, the better,” she said.
Ward said the Salvation Army is very thankful for the Moose Jaw Express helping out.
“We are very appreciative of the Moose Jaw Express for doing that,” he said.
Baigent-Therens said The Express works as the middle man by accepting the donations by cash or cheque at the Moose Jaw Express office located at 468 High St West. The Express is not set up for electronic transfers or credit card donations.
The Express has the receipt book and the safe for the funds from the Salvation Army who come and pick up the donations. The Salvation Army will later issue income tax receipts to donors.
“We just do it for them because we feel it is important. So it is just something we do to help the Salvation Army who in turn help people in Moose Jaw. So every week it is in the paper. It is on the front page and we kind of have a goal and we keep highlighting putting up in red as we collect the money,” she said.
The Express does not charge the Salvation Army for the campaign which includes the weekly front page updates showing the community the amount of funds collected.
“And we also run it one week past Christmas because with their Kettle Campaign and heir toy run and everything they do, the Stocking Fund is always money so they have a start for the next year.”
“We do it because the Salvation Army does a lot of good things for people in need in the community,” Baigent-Therens said. adding “it would be awesome if more people would come in and donate because every little bit helps. It doesn’t have to be a big amount of money just what you feel you are able to give.”
For Lt Ward it is important for people know all funds raised locally stay in and are used to help people in need locally in the community.
”Because what we raise here in the kettle campaign we want the people to know that all of these funds stay in the city,” Ward said, adding “they don’t go outside of the city. Moose Jaw and surrounding area, Assiniboia which is a part of the Salvation Army with the Toy Run and things like that, all the funds raised here is for local here. To help people here.”
The newspaper’s helping out is appreciated by the Salvation Army.
“We are very appreciative of the Moose Jaw Express for doing that,” Lt Ward said.
As part of the Christmas Kettle campaign the Express is also sending out envelopes for donations in the newspaper.
“Also The Express over the last week or so you may have noticed there are little envelopes that have gone out to the community where people can mail in donations. Some people drop it off in the kettle, that is fine too, or they bring it into the downtown office,” he said.
The Stocking Fund and the funds people send through the envelopes in the newspaper all goes towards the same cause.
“Those funds that come in are all going for the exact same cause meeting the needs of the community.,” Lt Ward said.