Donations to Salvation Army doubled on Saturday in Ann Arbor-area

This year's donations are continuing to trickle in, but The Salvation Army is behind about $100,000 with just a few days left on the calendar. But their efforts in Martinsville are falling short and they're in need of help.

The Salvation Army - which screens applicants in a joint collaboration with other local nonprofits - pays utilities and past-due rent for people in need, which can allow people on the verge of homelessness to stay in their homes. In that time, though, the Salvation Army says the campaign has raised $170,000, or just over 87% of their $195,000 goal.

The kettles, clear plastic balls hanging from a tall, red lanyard, will be at various locations throughout the city, manned by volunteers, until 6 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 23).

"The Kettle goal is $75,000 for the year, and so far we are at about $66,000", said Sharp.

Pavlakis, who worked with the organization for 14 years, says he has not seen anything like this.

"We feel truly blessed, we really do", she said.

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The 30-year-old woman stood in the vestibule near the kettle and posed as an attendant for about an hour.

Another main reason for the drop comes from customers increasingly shopping online rather than in stores, and although donations can be made to The Salvation Army online, it doesn't garner the attention or impact in-person bell-ringers do.

"Clothes, coats, gloves, toys, Barbie dolls", explained Rosie Mahaffey, a grandparent of one of Salvation Army's Angels.

"Last year, we were so green at it that we didn't do a very good job", Paxton said.

It's the most wonderful time of the year and many are donating their time and money, to give back to various causes in the Peterborough community. "But we are still having less kettle sites".