The Salvation Army Event Calendar 2009
February
Senior Valentine's Luncheon
Recognizing the need for fellowship and socialization, we provide a home cooked Valentine's meal, complete with a live band and dancing and simple gifts to the city's senior population.
March
Easter Visitation
Over 1,000 elderly and infirmed in area nursing homes and hospitals are visited by our caring volunteers providing love, essential gifts and prayer for personal needs.
Bunny Drive to Support Kids Café
Indulge your taste buds and give back to your community at the same time! Please join us this year in our annual "Bunny Campaign" to benefit the Kids Cafe.
What is Kids Cafe? It is our youth program which serves children ages 5-17. We provide a warm and nutritious meal each night in a fun and safe environment in addition to many types of recreational activities and tutoring. Our kids can develop intellectually, physically and spiritually while under the watchful care of committed staff and volunteers.
Treat the kids (and yourself) to a Van Otis 8oz. solid chocolate bunny for the discounted price of $7.00 at 121 Cedar Street in Manchester. The fundraiser runs from March 2nd through April 9th with a choice of milk, dark or white chocolate. For more information or for a group sale order form, please call 627-7013. Finally, an affordable little luxury with a great cause!
April
Fashion Show
This fashion show, called POSH, is featuring modest summer and prom fashions for young ladies ages preteen to early twenties.
We are going to show average girls, all different sizes and types, and give their peers a different view than what is in magazines and on TV.
The idea came to us from the book, GIRLS GONE MILD, which talks about the effect that fashion has on young ladies and the sad Hollywood portrayal. IE: Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton
Our show will have fashions that are modest, yet flattering, chic and POSH!
Please join the Cinderella Project at the Salvation Army at 3:00 Sunday April 26 for POSH with fun & refreshments! Open to the public!
May
Volunteer Recognition Dinner
Volunteers and Companies are recognized for their outstanding service to our organization and applauded for doing so much for us. Over 3,000 people help us throughout the year enabling us to do so much for others.
June - August
Summer Day Camp
Summer in the city is hot and boring. Parents are at work or taking care of little ones, friends are away and that leaves children with nothing to do. Not our kids! They are having fun everyday! Kids will just be kids during the summer playing with friends new and old and going on exciting field trips every day. The summer day camp runs Monday - Friday 8:30-4:00 for seven weeks with dinner at the Kids' Café afterwards.
Resident Camp Sebago, Standish, Maine
One hundred Manchester area youth spend one week at camp with picturesque surroundings and fun activities. With an emphasis on God's Word, this experience can change a life forever. Activities include hiking, arts and crafts, swimming, boating, outdoor living, nature study, and sports. Round trip transportation is provided.
Camp Sebago Flier
Fly Inn Super Cruise Event ~ Saturday August 22nd from 11-3
The Airport Diner and Holiday Inn are hosting the Fly Inn Super Cruise Car Show on Brown Avenue with over a hundred cars on display for the driving enthusiast. Muscle, classic and one of a kind vehicles will fill the field along with a children's play area and outdoor cookout. There will be a CARS bouncy house, dunking booth, toddler games and prizes for the little kids in their special area while the big kids enjoy the unique car display. Families can also take a ride in an antique fire truck or a classic car around the neighborhood. With music from that rockin' 50's era and a costume and hula hoop competitions, young and old will enjoy the afternoon which benefits The Salvation Army. Admission is free thanks to our sponsors Cruz'n Knights Car Club. For more information call 627-7013.
Back to School Program
We provide over 200 children (ages 5-12) backpacks and gift cards for a new school outfit for their upcoming school year. In addition to the children from Kids' Café; The Salvation Army includes children serviced by other local agencies as well. Big Brothers Big Sisters, Child and Family Services, Child Health Services, Easter Seals of New Hampshire, Families in Transition, Manchester Neighborhood Housing Services, New Hampshire Minority Coalition, Southern New Hampshire Services, The Moore Center, The Way Home and YWCA. Because of our Back to School Program the first day of school is undoubtedly a happy one for many!
September
NHMRO Toy Run
Nothing can keep Santa Claus, and several thousand of his motor-revving brethren of the New Hampshire Motorcyclists' Rights Organization, from delivering a little Christmas spirit to the needy children of Manchester, Litchfield and Bedford. Thousands of leather-clad bikers from across the state lug toy cars, stuffed bears and all sorts of other goodies to the Union Leaders' parking lot, where our volunteers await their donations. The event brings in tens of thousands of dollars' worth of toys; which we will distribute to needy children for Christmas morning. Come cheer the hundreds and hundreds of motorcycles at noon time on Sunday the 13th.
October
Harvest Auction
This special fund-raising event features a myriad of items to be auctioned off by both silent and live auction. Proceeds from the auction go to fund special projects for Salvation Army services.
Autumn Afternoon Tea
A centuries old traditional tea with sandwiches and scrumptious desserts held to show guests how they help us do the most good in Greater Manchester.
November & December
Warm Clothing
Two hundred volunteers take four hundred children shopping in November so they can receive brand new, warm winter clothing including pants, hats, sweatshirts, shoes, boots, jackets and gloves.
Kettle Campaign/Holiday Bell Ringers
In 1891, a Salvation Army Captain in San Francisco was disheartened that he could not provide Christmas Dinner to the city's needy. He hung a sign in the dutch oven hanging from the cast iron tripod indicating there will be no meal this year due to a lack of funds. Soon passerby threw bills and pocket change into the empty pot and there was enough money to hold a dinner! Thus began what it internationally known as The Salvation Army Christmas Kettle program. Beginning in Mid-November until Christmas Eve, The Salvation Army staff and volunteers can be seen in front of local establishments collecting bills and pocket change that will go, not only toward holiday expenses, but also to serving people well into the new year.
Senior Citizens Thanksgiving Luncheon
In this transient society many seniors are left without family in town and would spend a lonely Thanksgiving holiday without the fellowship of The Salvation Army. With 125 seniors being served by The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary and entertainment provided by the Bedford Rotary Band; we assure folks who may have otherwise spent the holiday alone, a time of companionship, warm memories and a delicious turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
Thanksgiving Basket Distribution
With the help of local businesses and individuals we are pleased to provide families and seniors in need over eighty Thanksgiving Baskets. For working poor families that are in need, we are able to offer fresh turkeys and the trimmings for their Thanksgiving meals.
New Hampshire Union Leader Santa Fund Luncheon
The Salvation Army is well known for its Christmas outreach in Manchester, Litchfield and Bedford with the strong support of the New Hampshire Union Leader Santa Fund. Celebrating 50 years, the Union Leader Santa Fund has provided support for the purchase of food for Thanksgiving and Christmas, warm clothing, toys and other gifts to be distributed from November through January. Additionally, the funds have grown to provide summer camp scholarships for programs in July and August and the Kids' Café during the holidays and summer camp months. The luncheon, held November 20th at the Radisson, brings together the business community and other supporters to kick off this seasons campaign. For tickets, please call 627-7013.
Toy Shop
The Salvation Army's Toy Shop is designed to assist needy families with gifts and a food voucher for the holiday season. Through our assistance program; we are able to assure that all children will receive at least four presents to open on Christmas morning and that everyone in the household will be able to share in a special meal that day. Given that we serve nearly 4,000 children from birth to age 15, we must buy in large quantities and focus on traditional gifts such as board games, trucks, cars and other toys that have general appeal for a particular age group. Toy drives are greatly appreciated because they provide families with a broader range of gifts from which to choose. The age group for gifts that are most needed, range from 11-15. The Toy Shop last year provided gifts to over 1,000 families.
Christmas Visitation
Over 1,000 elderly and infirmed in area nursing homes and hospitals are visited by our caring volunteers providing love, essential gifts and prayer for personal needs.