SEASON OF CELEBRATION
FIVE ELVES OF INTEREST
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The Salvation Army’s mission:
“to bring spiritual light and love
to those it serves at Christmas so
that the real meaning of the
season is not forgotten.”
holiday season in June. One of Corapi’s duties as director
of development is persuading business people to allow
the charity to set up kettles in front of their buildings. That
done, he recruits and trains the bell ringers, icons of the
holiday season, who will cheerfully man Red Kettle stations
at businesses all over the county.
Corapi describes the bell ringers: “Smiling, friendly,
engaging, dependable, standing for long hours, thanking
the donors and ringing the bell. We hope to have more
than 80 (this year).” A bell-ringer orientation is held in
November, with many of Santa’s helpers returning year
after year.
As the economy fluctuates, so do donations to The Salvation
Army’s coffers. “They have been up and down over
the last four or five years due to the upturn and downturn
of the economic environment,” Corapi says. In addition to
organizing the basic Red Kettle campaign, he and his wife,
Chery, plan events around it and handle community outreach,
sponsor recruitment and send the thank-you notes
when it’s all over for the season.
The Red Kettle bell ringers are the people who make it
possible for The Salvation Army to fulfill its mission: “to
bring spiritual light and love to those it serves at Christmas
so that the real meaning of the season is not forgotten.”
Elves
TO VOLUNTEER
For information on becoming a bell ringer or a volunteer
for The Salvation Army in Indian River County email
John_corapi@uss.salvationarmy.org or 772.978.0265
Name: John Corapi, Director of
Development for The Salvation
Army of Indian River County
Holiday activity: Red Kettle
campaign
Age: 42
Birthplace: Philadelphia
Residence: Vero Beach
Family: Married four years to
Chery; one son, Quinn.
What most people don’t know about me: “My original major
in college was cinematography.”
Fondest holiday memory: “Decorating the tree for the first
time” at age 6.
Elves
Elves
Elves
Elves
$20.11
for the rest of 2010!
(with $20.11 Joining Fee
and EFT sign up
expires 01/31/11)
Fort Pierce 772.489.1198
Palm City 772.919.1358
Stuart (North) 772.215.7123
Stuart (South) 772.631.6004
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