Mike Wolanin | The Republic A view of The Salvation Army donation kettle outside the Walmart Supercenter on Whitfield Drive in Columbus, Ind., Tuesday, July 29, 2025 for a Christmas in July donation drive.
The Salvation Army of Columbus will have its red kettle and bells kickoff from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Hobby Lobby’s parking lot.
In addition to having a red kettle on site Saturday, The Bridge radio station will be at the kick-off playing music and Freedom Rein and their horse Liberty will also be attending. Free small items like prayer bears and suckers will also be given away, and Starbucks will have coffee available, Salvation Army of Columbus captain and pastor Amy Tompkins said.
Hobby Lobby is located at 1149 N. National Road. To volunteer to ring this season, visit registertoring.com or call the Salvation Army at 812-372-7118.
“A few of my advisory board members will be there, I will have a few of our church people there, I’m hoping to have Social Services there, so there’ll be several of us who will be there to assist,” Tompkins said.
The red kettle campaign officially begins Nov. 3 at Hobby Lobby, but Tompkins said residents should see bell ringers out by Nov. 7. Bell ringers will then be out at Walmart Sam’s Club starting on Nov. 15, and then at Kroger starting Nov. 28. The campaign will run until Dec. 24, but Christmas donations are still accepted through Jan. 30.
Their kettle goal this year is to raise around $223,590. That amount is much higher than previous years as their need for funding has grown and the demand for assistance has increased. Tompkins attributes this to higher costs of food items, including meat.
“So we’re trying to supplement them with other items as well as meat items through the pantry so that they’re getting their protein, not just through meat but through beans and other ways,” Tompkins said. “But I believe that even though the cost of living is starting to go down a little bit, it’s still impacting those that are on assistance.”
More events like Giving Tuesday and kettle day matches will be offered throughout the season.
“I know every year, everybody says, ‘it feels like it’s earlier and earlier’ when in reality, it’s not,” Tompkins said. “It’s the same time every year, it just feels like it but we just want to remind everybody that kettle season has started and we do need funding and just the awareness of the Salvation Army in the community.”
