North Texas Officials Face Off in Friendly Competition to Fundraise for The Salvation Army
With Christmas just around the corner, local elected officials are joining the season of giving through The Salvation Army of North Texas’ annual Mayoral Red Kettle Challenge.
Part of The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, the largest and longest-running fundraiser of its kind, the Mayoral Red Kettle Challenge invites local mayors and city council members to spread the holiday spirit alongside The Salvation Army.
Participants will gather donations online through The Salvation Army’s Virtual Red Kettle and bell ring at Red Kettles across Dallas, Denton, Collin, Tarrant, and Ellis Counties. This year, more than 50 elected officials have challenged each other across North Texas to raise the most donations.
Every dollar donated stays in local communities, supporting our most vulnerable or struggling neighbors. These funds help The Salvation Army provide a range of social services including shelter, feeding, after-school programs, addiction-recovery programs, summer camps, disaster assistance, and more.
“Nearly half of our annual raised revenue comes between October and December, so donations made at Red Kettles are critical to helping provide transformational services in every pocket of North Texas,” said Major Paul McFarland, area commander of The Salvation Army of North Texas. “We are grateful for the generous support of our elected officials, donors, volunteers, and partners whose support enables us to provide services year-round that are needed now more than ever.”
On Saturday, December 9, in coordination with The National Commander’s Red Kettle Challenge, officials across North Texas will participate at various locations:
Dallas County:
- Mayor Rick Stopfer at Walmart in Irving
- Mayor Wes Mays at Kroger in Coppell
- Mayor Bruce Arfsten at Kroger in Addison
- Mayor Terry Lynne at Neighborhood Walmart in Farmers Branch
- Mayor Scott LeMay at Walmart in Garland
- Mayor Blake Margolis at Walmart in Rowlett
- Mayor Carrie Gordon at Kroger in Balch Springs
- Mayor John Huffman at Hobby Lobby in Southlake
- Dallas County Council members: Chad West, Adam Bazaldua, and Cara Mendelsohn at various locations across Dallas.
Denton County:
- Mayor Gerard Hudspeth at Sam’s Club in Denton
- Mayor Lynn Clark at Walmart in Hickory Creek
- Mayor T. Lynn Tompkins Jr. at Walmart in Cross Roads
- Mayor TJ Gilmore at Sam’s Club in Lewisville
- Mayor Derek France at Hobby Lobby in Flower Mound
- Mayor Jaclyn Carrington at Kroger in Bartonville
Collin County:
- Mayor Jeff Cheney at the The Star Tostitos Championship Plaza Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop in Frisco
- Mayor David Bristol at the Kroger in Prosper
- Plano Council members and Deputy Mayor Pro Temp: Julie Holmer, Shelby Williams, Rick Horne, Rick Smith, Anthony Ricciardelli, and Maria Tu at Kroger in Plano
Tarrant County:
- Mayor Mattie Parker at The Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth
- Mayor Michael Evans at Sam’s Club and Market Street in Mansfield
- Mayor Jim Ross at Decorator’s Warehouse and Walmart in Arlington
- Mayor Laurie Bianco at Green’s Produce and Ground’s and Gold in Dalworthington Gardens
- Mayor Stephanie Boardingham at Walgreens in Forest Hill
- Mayor Jan Joplin at Walmart in Kennedale
- Mayor Linda Martin at Kroger in Euless
- Mayor Henry Wilson at Walmart Neighborhood in Hurst
- Mayor Russ Brewster at Walmart Neighborhood Market in Pantego
- Fort Worth City Council members: Jeanette Martinez, Jared Williams, Michael Crain, Chris Nettles, Macy Hill, and Charles Lauersdorf at The Shops at Clearkfork in Fort Worth
Ellis County:
- Mayor Brian Hill at Walmart Supercenter in Waxahachie
- Waxahachie City Council members: Scott Brooks, Patrick Souter, Travis Smith, and Chris Wright at Walmart Supercenter in Waxahachie
In Tarrant County, Mayor Mattie Parker kicked off the holiday season with a ceremonial bell ringing at Fort Worth City Hall during a city council meeting on Giving Tuesday, November 28.
Additionally, in Denton County, Mayor Daniel Jaworski bell rang at Walmart in Highland Village on Friday, December 2, 2023.
In Collin County, Mayor Jim Olk participated in bell ringing at the Country Christmas Holiday Market in Lucas on Friday, December 1, while Mayor George Fuller rang a bell at Sam’s Club in McKinney on Wednesday, December 6. Mayor Brianna Chacon is scheduled to ring a bell on Saturday, December 16, at Walmart in Princeton.
Meanwhile, Plano Mayor John Muns and Mayor Pro Tem Kayci Prince are raising funds through their Virtual Red Kettles.
North Texans can join their local elected officials in registering to bell ring at a local Red Kettle at registertoring.com. They can also donate online or host their own Virtual Red Kettle as an individual or with a group.
The Red Kettle Campaign is especially needed this year to help The Salvation Army continue to address the startling realities of poverty, homelessness, and addiction. As the region’s largest social services provider, The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to respond to the ever-changing needs of our community in every pocket of North Texas.
To learn more, visit salvationarmyntx.org/christmas.
About The Salvation Army of North Texas
The Salvation Army of North Texas provides a range of services to combat poverty, addiction, and homelessness at 21 centers of operation in Dallas and Rockwall, Tarrant and Ellis, and Collin and Denton counties. Faithful to our mission, The Salvation Army enables God-empowered transformations of individuals and society through food assistance, shelter, rehabilitation, counseling, spiritual support, mentoring and job placement, and more. For more information, visit www.SalvationArmyNTX.org.