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This holiday season, Santa’s not the only one making a list and checking it twice. Across the Northwest, Christmas Champions are on a mission to spread cheer, rally donations for The Salvation Army and keep the spirit of giving alive year-round.
The new Christmas Champion role invites 30 lead volunteers—one from each advisory organization in The Salvation Army Northwest Division—to organize and communicate Christmas activities and plans throughout the year.
Christmas Champions aim to increase fundraising engagement by encouraging active participation among advisory organizations. In addition, they will coordinate monthly bellringing recruitment efforts, targeting involvement from service clubs and businesses.
Their efforts will help The Salvation Army extend support during the Christmas season as community needs grow alongside increased generosity through donations and volunteer efforts.
Northwest Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Cindy Foley said the Christmas Champion role will bring additional opportunities for Christmas planning, no matter the season.
“In the past, Christmas planning typically started in September for most corps,” Foley said. “We decided, why not have one person be involved throughout the year?”
Fundraising initiatives such as the Red Kettle campaign, community events and virtual kettles allow Salvation Army staff and volunteers across the Western Territory to engage their communities and generate essential support at Christmastime.
It’s making Christmas a year-long endeavor. Christmas Champions can utilize their platforms to get the word and have greater opportunities to recruit volunteers.
Northwest Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Cindy Foley
Foley said the ongoing support from volunteers is essential for sustaining crucial programs all year, such as food distribution, addiction rehabilitation, housing assistance and disaster relief.
In 2023, volunteer efforts enabled the Northwest Division to serve over 600,000 families. According to Foley, with the support of active Christmas Champions, that number is expected to grow.
“Christmas Champions will help The Salvation Army be more strategic in reaching wider communities and building an even larger base of volunteers,” Foley said. “The goal is for Christmas Champions to positively impact fundraising and friend-raising, building financial and social connections.”
Christmas Champions apply through their local corps and are selected by the corps officers. Most have volunteer experience and a strong understanding of The Salvation Army’s mission.
Seattle Adult Rehabilitation Program (ARP) Advisory Committee member Tracie Dalke was selected as the Christmas Champion for her area.
Dalke graduated from the ARP in 2017 and said she wanted to stay involved with the organization that helped her toward sobriety. Since then, she’s volunteered for back-to-school shopping events and various ARP speaking engagements.
“I’m happy to give my time and energy,” Dalke said. “When I heard about the role of Christmas Champion, I knew I wanted to give it a go.”
Outside of her work with The Salvation Army, Dalke is a real estate agent and actively participates in her local recovery community through a sober softball league. She said she saw an opportunity to leverage these platforms in her role as a Christmas Champion.
“I plan to utilize my social media pages to spread the QR code of our virtual kettle,” Dalke said, adding the Seattle ARP has a goal of raising $10,000 this holiday season.
She said she has begun encouraging her fellow softball players to consider bellringing.
“I plan to start by educating people on the services The Salvation Army provides,” Dalke said. “I hope that once people understand how valuable these services are to our community, they’ll be inspired to help.”
Dalke is also organizing an event at her brokerage to encourage her co-workers to participate in a bellringing day or a day of giving.
“I’m trying to spread the message that one simple hour of someone’s time can make a huge difference in the lives of many,” Dalke said.
According to Foley, the involvement during the holiday season will drive The Salvation Army’s efforts into the new year, helping to maintain momentum for programs and continue supporting those in need.
“Christmas is the perfect time to share the story of what we do,” Foley said. “When we strengthen local support, whether through volunteering or donations, people learn about The Salvation Army, our work and the lasting impact we have in the community throughout the year.”
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