By Mike Cook
The Salvation Army of Las Cruces has a variety of events and activities coming up for the holiday season, Corps Officer Capt. Michael P. Evans said.
Here are the events:
- Christmas Assistance Sign-Ups: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. each day, Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 12-14 and Friday, Oct. 16, at the Salvation Army offices, 1590 California St. This is the annual Christmas Angels program. Parents who are struggling can sign up. The Salvation Army will then place each child’s information (first name, age, gender, and three wish list items) on an Angel Tree tag and place the tags on trees in select businesses throughout the community. Then, “a generous member of our community will pull a tag, purchase a gift for the child and return the gift (with the tag) to the location (where) they got the tag or to the Salvation Army office,” Evans said.
- Fifth annual Harvest Festival: 3-6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 18. The event includes inflatables, games, candy, live entertainment, prize drawing (including bicycles), face painting, a car show and food. Admission is one canned good for the Salvation Army food pantry.
- Annual Red Kettle Campaign: Sunday, Nov. 8-Thursday, Dec. 24. Every year, Salvation Army volunteers and the familiar red kettles are in front of businesses across the community to raise funds “to help Doña Ana County residents all year long,” Evans said. “We are in dire need of assistance with volunteer ‘bell ringers’ to help this year,” he said.
- Las Cruces Cruising Council “Turkey Palooza”: Saturday, Nov. 21. The Cruising Council is made up of local car clubs that help the community. The Salvation Army will host the council’s event at 1590 California St. It will include games, candy, food, cars, trucks, inflatables, music and more.
- Annual Toy Drive: Saturday, Dec. 5. Beginning at the old K-Mart location on Bataan Memorial West, the drive will travel down Main Street to Lohman Avenue to Telshor Boulevard and a stop at Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q, 1020 N. Telshor Blvd. For the past two years, the Salvation Army has had more than 125 cars, trucks, motorcycles and off roaders participate in this cruise across Las Cruces to help collect toys for The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program to provide toys for families that may not have a Christmas this year without the community’s help,” Evans said. “People can participate by driving their vehicle (each vehicle is asked to donate a boy- and a girl-gift valued at $10) or by stopping by Rudy’s, checking out the cars and donating their gift to the program.
For more information on the Angel Tree program, Harvest Festival, Turkey Palooza and Toy Drive, contact Capt. Noel Evans at 907-209-5491. For information on the Red Kettle program, contact Capt. Michael Evans at 907-723-0238.
The Salvation Army is located at 1590 California Ave., Las Cruces, N.M. 88005. Call 575-524-4713. Visit
http://lascruces.salvationarmy.org/ and www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyofLasCruces.
The Salvation Army Family Thrift Store is located at 220 East Idaho Ave. Call 575-524-1590. Visit
www.facebook.com/TSAFamilyStoreLasCruces.
