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TIM LEIGH AND Cayla Holt (101.9 KKCS Country Radio), stand kettle at a country music concert. |
“There is something I can do!” That was a statement advisory board member Tim Leigh made to Major Joe R. Hoogstad back in January of 2004 after Tim had spent half a day finding out what The Salvation Army in El Paso County/Colorado Springs was all about.
Tim had been an uninformed board member for many months; that changed dramatically following that morning in January. Leigh, the owner of Hoff and Leigh Commercial Real Estate in Colorado Springs, set out to work as the chairman of the advisory board development committee.
When the news broke this year that Target would no longer allow the Army’s traditional kettles outside their stores, Leigh knew the Army in El Paso County would be affected financially; discussions started on what it would do to counteract this serious loss of money.
One of the results was “Red Kettle Kick Off Day” which commenced at 7 a.m. on a brisk November morning. Following three weeks of solicitation, 20 plus individuals along with community and business leaders gathered to start off the kettle effort. At the end of an hour, almost $ 25,000 had been raised.
Leigh said “There is something I can do,” and pledged to raise $25,000 dollars from “new” sources that had not given to the Army in Colorado Springs before.
The results were astounding: he surpassed his goal, personally raising $27,000. The total fundraising amounted to a little over $38,000—all from new sources and friends.
How did he do it? By getting his business friends to donate, by being on FM 101.9 (a country station) at 5 a.m., encouraging people to donate and drop by the station for a cup of coffee from the Army canteen. That led to a country music concert with the TSA getting half the “gate” which will translate into over $3,000.
“The overall response has been overwhelming as the community became aware of the challenge to replace lost Target funds,” said Hoogstad. “Tim took action, and many individuals will be blessed and helped because of the funds he raised for the Army.”
In all, the kettle effort was $84,000 above last year.