Community Rallies to Help The Salvation Army Each Christmas

For the 34th year in a row, a local radio station is calling on residents of Kenora, Ont., to come together and donate money, toys and food items for The Salvation Army’s Christmas hamper program. This event is called “The Miracle Marathon”.

This initiative has become a Christmas tradition for the town. People look forward to helping those in need during the holiday season.

“It has turned into such an incredible partnership and a staple of Christmas in Kenora,” says Stuart Walter, The Salvation Army’s community ministries director in Kenora. “I’ve had people calling, emailing me and sending messages on Facebook asking about it since August and September.”

The event is a 13-hour-long broadcast that opens the mic to anyone in the community who would like to promote the fundraiser in any way. As the broadcast goes on, donors come to the radio station to drop off their contributions, which all go to The Salvation Army.

“It’s humbling to see the difference we are making as a community.”

“We are going to have guests throughout the day. Anybody in the community can sign up for a slot to talk. Whether it’s sharing why it’s important for them to give back to The Salvation Army, or just sharing their favourite Christmas story, or why they are donating. We have a whole mix of people,” Stuart adds.

With a population of 15,000, fundraisers such as these are crucial for The Salvation Army in Kenora to assist people during Christmas.

“Our Christmas hamper program couldn’t happen without the Miracle Marathon,” Stuart says. “It’s a huge community event. Everyone always shows up—from schools to hockey teams to businesses.”

Despite the town’s relatively small size, the community has shown up significantly to support the Army. Last year, contributions helped provide over 250 hampers, which assisted approximately 500 people during the holidays.

According to Stuart, the staff at The Salvation Army ensures each hamper has all the necessary items for clients.

“Each box gets everything that they would need, not only to get through December but also for Christmas dinner. So, it’s things like cranberry sauce, gravy, vegetables and potatoes—, just a huge box filled with food.”

For families with children, toys are included as well. These are sorted so children can get something appropriate for their age.

“Each box gets everything that they would need, not only to get through December but also for Christmas dinner.”

The Miracle Marathon will take place on November 22. As many clients struggle to make ends meet with the high cost of living, contributions to The Salvation Army are as important as ever.

Stuart is thankful for the community’s support in previous years and hopes people will come together again to make this Christmas special for everyone in Kenora.

“I’ve been involved with The Salvation Army my whole life. I grew up watching the impact. It’s humbling to see the difference we are making as a community, and it fills my heart with so much joy,” Stuart shares.

By Juan Romero