Sarasota Salvation Army Holds Kettle Kickoff Event To Begin Holiday Fundraising Efforts

Online, October 28, 2013 (Newswire.com) - MEDIA CONTACT
Gabriele Vest
Account Executive
(941) 351-0024

"The Sound of Hope" Sponsored by Mercedes Benz, Boar's Head and Grapevine Communications

Sarasota, Florida - October 29, 2013 - The Salvation Army of Sarasota is holding its first ever Kettle Kickoff event on Thursday, December 5th from 5:00pm - 7:00pm at Mercedes Benz in Sarasota, sponsored by Mercedes Benz, Boar's Head Provisions Co, Inc, Grapevine Communications Advertising Agency and Downtown Sarasota Alliance. This year's theme, "The Sound of Hope," will gather sponsors, donors and volunteers of the organization to support the Salvation Army's 22-day holiday fund drive, running from November 29th - December 24th. Funds collected during the drive are distributed throughout the community to benefit those in need.

At The Sound of Hope event, Salvation Army will be presented with a Smart Car design-wrapped as one of the organization's recognizable red kettles, and a "Sprinter" designed to resemble a sleigh, both courtesy of Mercedes Benz. For six weeks, Salvation Army will use the cars to promote its fundraising efforts throughout the area via social media. The overall goal of The Sound of Hope event is to attract more volunteers and sponsors to help support the Salvation Army and its work to provide positive contributions for our community. Anyone registered to volunteer for a full day (four shifts) as a bell-ringer is invited to attend.

A familiar sight throughout the country around the holiday season, Salvation Army's customary red kettles and bell-ringing volunteers will be stationed outside 25 Sarasota-area shopping mall, discount store and grocery store locations. Volunteers can sign up for the date and time convenient to their schedule and choose from four two-hour shifts to fill daily. Local companies can sponsor kettles and provide volunteers to cover a full day of shifts at their site of choice. "It's the generous support from volunteers that makes it possible for us to provide physical, financial, personal and spiritual help year after year," said Salvation Army Major Ethan Frizzell. "Thanks to the additional push from our sponsors, we will be able to extend our reach even further to improve and enhance the community we serve."

For more information about sponsorship opportunities or to volunteer to help with this holiday season's fundraising efforts, please call 941-364-8845x ext. 222 or email SarasotaVolunteerInfo@uss.salvationarmy.org.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army has been supporting those in need without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide.

Each day of the year the Army is rebuilding lives, one life at a time, and continues to "Do the Most Good." In addition to meeting basic human needs for families and individuals by providing emergency and intermediate shelter, food, clothing, counseling, training and health care, they also offer prevention programs and emergency disaster services. The Center of Hope is located at 1400 10th Street, Sarasota, FL 34236. For more information or facilities tour, please call 941-364-8845, ext. 221.

Grapevine Communications is a full-service, award-winning advertising, marketing and public relations firm based in Sarasota, Florida, and serving clients nationwide. The firm was awarded the 2010 Frank G. Berlin, Sr., Small Business Award by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. For more information on Grapevine Communications, contact Gabriele Vest at GVest@grapeinc.com or 941-351-0024.

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