The Shadow
Corps Officer Major George Hackbarth of The Salvation Army in Covington is calling for volunteers to donate their time to help with its annual Red Kettle Fund Drive.
The Salvation Army in Covington served 1,905 people in the Alleghany Highlands in 2021, 287 with groceries, 297 with energy assistance and 37 fire victims and stranded motorists who were provided with lodging.
The Red Kettle Fund Drive is The Salvation Army’s main fundraising event each year, and the following locations have been set up for collecting donations: Wal*Mart and Food Lion in Covington, Kroger in Clifton Forge and Wal*Mart and Food Lion in Lexington.
Hackbarth, a 1982 graduate of Parkland High School in Winston Salem, N.C. who was ordained in 1992 after attending the Salvation Army College in Atlanta, Ga., remarked, “We have set our 2022 Red Kettle Fund Drive goal at $50,000.”
He continued, “We started our fund drive on Thurs., and we are in need of volunteers.”
Through a mutual, best friend, Hackbarth met, Robin, his wife-to-be, in Atlanta during the time that he was preparing to be ordained, and as it turned out, Robin, who was born in Frankfort, Ky., attended the same college and became ordained in 1996.
The couple has two grown sons, Shawn, 25; and Dietrich, 23.
George noted, “We don’t collect funds on Sunday, and we hope more people will volunteer.”
He explained that during 2020, The Salvation Army held its Red Kettle Fund Drive despite COVID-19 but that the pandemic curtailed The Salvation Army’s ability to attract volunteers.
George admitted, “We need volunteers so that we don’t have to hire people to help.”
The Salvation Army uses all of the profits from sales at its Family Thrift Store in Covington to operate its social service office that assists families in need with food, clothing and utility assistance.
In 2021, The Salvation Army in Covington helped 284 children by providing toys and clothing, 141 families with food and nursing home patients by providing them with 532 gifts.
There were 222 volunteers who participated in ringing the bells at the Red Kettle Stands in 2021, and $76,024.95 was raised.
George concluded, “Last year we operated Red Kettle Stands in Lewisburg, but this year we will not be in Lewisburg.”
The lack of volunteers has hampered the Red Kettle Drive, and George and Robin, who is also a major, are calling for volunteers from civic clubs, church congregations, schools and families to step forward to ring the bells during the current Red Kettle Fund Drive.
The mission of The Salvation Army that has served the City of Covington since Jan. 9, 1926, is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
In 2022, The Salvation Army in Covington has provided 261 orders of groceries to those in need, aided 403 people by providing them with energy assistance and helped 76 families with 1,577 clothing items.
Those who wish to volunteer to assist The Salvation Army in Covington may contact the Church and Office at 115 S. Lexington Ave. in Covington or call (540) 962-6206.
Also, The Salvation Army has a website: salvationarmypotomac.org/Covington. Its “Facebook” listing is The Salvation Army of Covington, VA.
