The Salvation Army's Christmas Wishes Came
True Thanks to The Army Behind The Army

The Salvation Army's holiday campaigns - the Angel Tree program and the Red Kettle Campaign - well exceeded their local goals this year. Not only did thousands of less fortunate people have a much merrier Christmas, but lives will be changed throughout 2009 thanks to the Memphis community's phenomenal response.

Red Kettle Campaign Exceeds Goal

More than $372,000 was raised by the Red Kettle Campaign this holiday season, an 11 percent increase over the goal of $335,000. The Red Kettle Campaign is The Salvation Army's largest annual fundraiser, with donations supporting year-long programs such as homeless shelters, emergency family services, drug and alcohol rehabilitation services and children's programs.

Watch News Channel 3 reporter, Danya Bacchus, interview Salvation Army clients Rosemary and Nicki to see how they have been helped by The Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army is grateful to WREG News Channel 3 for their extraordinary support as the 2008 media partner for the Red Kettle Campaign. Through nightly updates, News Channel 3 helped raise awareness of The Salvation Army's many services. The News Channel 3 team's commitment and enthusiasm in sharing The Salvation Army's message resulted in remarkable community support for the Red Kettle Campaign.

"The News Channel 3 team did an amazing job of helping put a "face" to those who have been helped through Salvation Army programs and services," said Major Mark Woodcock, Area Commander of The Salvation Army in Memphis. "As a result, donations exceeded our expectations. We are humbled by their commitment and appreciative of their support."

"Because of the economy, we were unsure about this year's kettle campaign," added Major Woodcock. "But once again the people in the Mid-South have shown their generosity. We are grateful to volunteers and donors who helped make the 2008 kettle campaign successful."

Angel Tree

Despite a tough economy, the community's tremendous generosity helped thousands of less fortunate people experience their own "Christmas miracle" this season.

Imagine the look on a child's face on Christmas morning seeing a tree with a shiny new bike underneath it. For 1,659 children that Christmas wish came true, thanks in part to Cellular South Mike's Bikes, a program created by Cellular South and WREC 600 radio personality Mike Fleming. The Cellular South Mike's Bikes program has been collecting donated bikes for The Salvation Army for six years. To-date they have raised more than 6,000 bikes.

"Thanks to the wonderful support of the community, the Angel Tree program provided Christmas gifts, toys and bikes to 7,000 children, mothers and seniors," said Major Woodcock. "It takes an enormous amount of coordination and volunteer support to run this program. It was inspiring how many people took this program to their hearts and became personally invested when shopping for adopted angels."

The Salvation Army is particularly grateful to these sponsors who provide financial underwriting for the program: AutoZone, International Paper, FedEx, Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation, Technicolor by Thomson, Cellular South and The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary.

A special thanks goes to these Angel Tree media partners who provide invaluable support in sharing the Angel Tree story and generating community support for the program: ABC 24, CW 30, WREC 600 and Rock 103.

The Angel Tree program is possible because these mall partners donate space for the official angel trees: Carrefour at Kirby Woods, Oak Court Mall and Wolfchase Galleria.

For the large warehouse space donated to Angel Tree, we are grateful to Industrial CP III Owner LLC and to Gene Woods of ColliersWilkinsonSnowden and Brad Murchison and CB Richard Ellis who brokered the deal.

And finally, we express appreciation to those who adopted angels and provided gifts, and to more than 700 volunteers who assisted in making The Salvation Army Angel Tree program a success.

Angel Tree 2008 was dedicated to the memory of Craig Robbins, host of WREC's Morning News Show and a long time supporter of Angel Tree.

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Libby and Rob Rabun escort a mother through the distribution process.