All right, we're going to say hello to
kind of a regular now Captain Eddie Williams of the Salvation Army and want to say hello
to Randy Savaglio, who is the advisory board chairman for the Salvation Army.
Thank you.
Thanks for being in today.
Thanks for having us.
It's a cold morning.
I can't believe you got up.
I would have rolled over and said, Oh, Don, I forgot about it.
Oh, really?
Can we do it back in May?
Can we do that?
I can't do that.
Well, thank you for coming in again.
Last time we spoke to you, Captain Williams, we were just starting the kickoff of the Red
Kelly campaign.
And now you are more than halfway through.
Yes.
How's it going?
It's going good.
We're in our final stretch about a week and a half to go.
We have fallen upon the time of the season where we're short on volunteers and so we're
looking for families, individuals, church groups, clubs, anybody who's willing to come out
to support the mission and the work of the Salvation Army to spend a few hours ringing
the bill and collecting donations to support programs that help resource the community
year-round.
Let's talk about some of those programs.
Yeah.
So we have a client-choice food pantry where we serve about 60 families each week.
As of right now, we've served about 2200 families, which equates to about 5300 individuals.
And that equates to about 103,000 pounds of food, which is a huge undertaking, but we
have an excellent staff that works tirelessly to support the needs of the community.
We have our healthy kids, Diner, where we cook hot meals and serve them to the youth in
our community at three of the Raysame Police Department's cop houses.
And that program is funded in part by the Raysame Community Foundation.
We have weekend food sacks every Friday.
We drop off about 500 food sacks to about 17 schools in our USD.
And that supports the student's nutritional needs during the weekend.
And then we also provide housing assistance to help individuals who want the breadth of
conviction to maintain housing and to have a warm safe place for themselves and their
family.
So there's quite a bit that happens at the Salvation Army that a lot of people don't
know about.
And so the Red Cattle Campaign helps to continue these programs without interruption.
I told Greg, Randy.
Well, I'm just going to say, I'm glad he mentioned that, or you asked that question, because
if you ask somebody on the street, what is your connotation of Salvation Army?
And they say, oh, they're wonderful.
Well, do you know what they do?
No.
This is what they do.
And it's an ongoing year-round servicing the community and kids.
You know, I told you before, I looked it up on charity navigator, and do you guys ever
look yourself up on there?
I haven't.
Yeah, but I'll take your word for it.
Yeah.
Well, I'm about to look it up.
And I've got so many things on my think here.
I was going to, while I'm looking it up, how many Red Cattles you have?
How many Red Cattles they have out there around the recene?
So we have Red Cattles at about 14 stores.
And so the community may notice that some of our locations have been unattended, and
that's not intentional.
Once again, we've had a shortage on both volunteers and those who come alongside to support through
paid employment during the season.
And so we've had to approach this year strategically and kind of place our ringers at locations
where we know the community frequents and where we can best, you know, garner their support
for the Red Cattles.
Now, there's two places that you can have your group or individually sign up to help us
ring the bell.
Visit registering.com.
You don't even have to call, but you can, the Salvation Army, phone numbers, 262, 6323147.
So either way, if you have a group, a church group, a civic group that wants to volunteer,
we'd certainly love to hear from you.
Here's something you rarely see on charity navigator.
This charity navigator, no matter what the charity is, they go through all the 401 C-3,
C-3 paperwork on charities, they do it all, they have it all published here, so no matter
what charity there is, if it's a religion of a charity, it will be here on charity navigator.
And they rate it on several things like how much of the money is going to where it's
supposed to go, how much money it goes to administration, and there's got to be administration
clause, it happens.
Absolutely.
Here's something you rarely see with the Salvation Army, 100% rating on charity navigator.
And that just tells them that the money's going to where it's supposed to go to.
There's a couple of 94%, a couple of, I'm just, these are numbers you don't see anywhere
else.
Now, what they do is they do the each individual Salvation Army is across the country.
They've been cities, but overall, 100% rating, that's unheard of, a charity navigator.
Yeah.
What a lot of people aren't aware of is that a unnational average, about 87 cent of every
dollar donated to the Salvation Army goes back to support the community, that 13 cent,
as you say, goes to support over here at an administrative cost.
We have employees with families, we have lights, we have gas, we have bills that need to
be paid.
And so the Salvation Army takes, has really good margins for donations in the amount that
goes back out to the community.
I mean, we often hear of people's thoughts and opinions about what we do, where the money
goes.
But in a sense of transparency, majority of what is donated to the Salvation Army goes
back to support the community.
That's your charity navigator said on there too.
Most of the money goes to where it's supposed to go.
Absolutely.
There are some bad charities on there too.
And that's not you guys, but there's some bad ones where like 40 or 30% of the money
goes where it's supposed to go.
But they'll point that out too.
But when the guy was in here from charity navigator, he said their number one Salvation Army.
Awesome.
You guys do a good job.
Now, you said some of the bell rings, they're indoors, you don't have any outdoor people
this time of year, do you?
We do.
Oh, historically, the Salvation Army, a red kettle campaign was an outdoor campaign.
It's a straight corner.
Yes.
And so we're thankful that a lot of our stores allow us to ring inside of the vestibule.
There are one or two places due to contractual obligations, who require us to ring outside.
And so we try to staff those as much as we can, but we are also mindful of our ringers
and the elements and wanting them to be safe and out of harm's way as well.
Let's put some long johns out of those heated socks.
Right.
A couple of years, you know, we're turned to Captain Andy Williams of the Salvation Army
and the advisory board chairman Randy Savaglio.
You got a match coming up, huh?
No, a match means for every dollar you get, you get another dollar, right?
Okay.
How does this match working?
No.
You get $2.
$2.
Better than I thought.
If you give $1, that means you're giving $3.
Oh, that's great.
And they come.
Even better.
Let's talk about that.
So, so Fisk, the Johnson family and Fisk, Johnson, have supported the Salvation Army with
the match day over the, over the last 13 years.
And so the last five years, Fisk, I'm out of his personal philanthropy has been extremely
generous and has supported a match day here at the Salvation Army.
It's a time that a lot of members of the community look forward to.
We often hear at the red kettle size about how they're waiting for match day.
And so this year, Fisk is graciously sponsoring a double match.
So like Randy said, if you donate $1 to the red kettle that becomes $2 with Fisk, which
overall brings in $3 for us to use for our programs and services.
And so it's a, it's a moment in our fundraising season that really pushes us even further toward
our finish line.
And so that's happening this Saturday, December 20th at all locations throughout racing,
Codonia and Mount Pleasant.
I want to forget about this.
So I want to mention it now before I do forget.
You actually are the pastor of the service every Sunday morning at the Salvation Army headquarters
here in Racine.
Yes, every Sunday, we have Sunday school at 945, we have worship at 1045.
I lead both of those Bible study on Wednesdays, we have a very small women's fellowship group
that meets that I also lead in addition to leading the team and the work of the Salvation
Army.
And yeah, so my plate is always full and I love it, but you're both feet in on this thing.
Yeah.
And the captain is ordained minister.
Yes, legally.
Yeah.
How long have you been with the Salvation Army?
Um, so I, I've been in this capacity as a Salvation Army pastor, um, going on nine years.
But like I mentioned last time we were here, I grew up attending the Salvation Army for
church, summer camp, I learned how to pray, play brass.
It's kind of, it's been a generational foundation for my family for a number of years.
And so my leadership as a Salvation Army officer comes from my experiences and receiving
help with food pantry and housing assistance, receiving toys through the angel tree program.
And so my perspective is, is one of experience.
And I want people to know that the Salvation Army is so much more than a thrift store and
helping people with food and paying their, their rent.
But our mission is simple, um, to serve God and to love others and to love God and to
serve others.
And so that's, that's what I want to get across here in racing.
Now we, um, where's the thrift store looking?
Um, so there's a thrift store at the corner of Washington in Ohio, but the thrift store
does not fund the work of the Salvation Army in racing.
The thrift store in racing, um, supports, um, addiction recovery ministries, um, at
our rehabilitation center in Joaquin, Illinois.
Um, and so when you shop there, uh, the funds go to help those who are breaking the chains
of addiction, um, particularly substance abuse to help them live free, um, and redeem lives
in Jesus.
All right.
Over here.
Ohio wind.
Yeah, by the old shop coat.
Yeah.
Oh, is that where?
Oh, that's right.
That's right.
And now I know where it is.
Right.
I think of the other side of the street right near the old shop.
Go.
Yeah.
Ready.
How do you get involved with the Salvation Army?
I don't know.
I forgot how many years.
So, um, giving back to the community is what it's all about.
And, um, like you said, for that, um, what they do, um, and what they represent and what
they give back to the community is why I've been involved with Salvation Army.
When you were involved in, uh, Randy and I go to the same church together, receiving
Bible church every Sunday, you were involved in that too with everything going on
there.
There's always something to do.
Always something to give back.
And you're involved there.
You're regularly, you know, sure.
One time you parked the car as you were the valet.
Yeah.
I couldn't do that because if somebody shows up with a manual picture, I couldn't do it.
I never, I never drove one of those before.
It was a challenge at three below.
Yes.
And you're also involved in the pace setters, which is, I don't know, I lightly say this.
Seniors group.
Seniors group.
But, sure, not pace makers, pace setters.
Pace setters, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Pace setters.
What's on my mind?
The pace setters.
And you guys put on a good program every month.
And, except for now, you have to wait till April because during the winter you take, uh,
I eat is there.
And I gotta say, you don't, you know, if you just show up to the pace setters, you'd
pay for a nice meal.
It's really, it was always a good meal.
And you get a, um, speaker speaker.
Different things.
You spoke with us once.
I did movies.
Yes.
Which I thought was kind of fun.
That was wonderful.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And they serve popcorn.
What I was speaking there.
And I had warned everybody.
If anybody throws any popcorn at me, we have ushers.
I'll throw you right out of this.
And you'll never be all up back in this theater again.
So that was it.
You had one the other day, uh, at pace setters.
I take pace makers, pace setters.
You had the magical singers from horror like high school.
And that was really nice.
It was.
I didn't see those banquet hall.
Yeah.
It was, uh, very delightful.
Let's talk about the one more time, the red kettle donations
and all the programs are supporting.
Yeah.
So all of your donations that we receive in the red kettle support
our food pantry.
Um, our, uh, youth fitting programs, the healthy kids diner in weekend
food sex.
Um, our back to school backpack in hygiene.
Um, pathway of hope, which is a case management initiative.
Um, created to help families overcome barriers to poverty
and to find stability and self-sufficiency.
Our angel tree and toy shop where this week actually
we'll be giving, um, over a thousand children, um, Christmas
gifts.
Um, and so we're excited for that day of ministry.
A thousand.
Yeah.
Over a thousand.
And we've had a lot of companies and businesses and individual
donors who have supported toy and food drives.
Um, the community whose purchase gifts from our angel tree at the
Walmart market, um, on Washington amount pleasant.
Um, so all of those things will go to the families who have
signed up, um, and bring Christmas joy, um, to their homes to
season.
Um, obviously donations also support my housing assistance
program to help those on the brink of eviction, um, and then
our community outreach.
And so, um, all of your donations go to support such a wonderful
organization, um, and people who are, uh, really being the hands
and feet of Jesus and serving, um, the best, uh, that we can.
Um, and so we, we need your help for match day.
If you go to register to ring dot com or call the salvation or
me, um, ask us about what we have available for bell ringing.
We want to, to take, I don't want to say advantage, but we
really want to maximize this, this gift that we are receiving
from, from Fisk, uh, Johnson for another year.
Um, and so we're looking for a great turnout.
And obviously, um, all donations are doubled up to the first 50,000.
I mean, so we really want to get in there, do what we can.
So that way, we have the support to the resource the community
greater, um, in 2026.
And it's also tax deductible.
Yes.
That also helps.
Now, real quickly, after the 24th, the red kettle campaign is over.
Right.
What about the rest of the year up until next Christmas?
Well, the salvation army has a saying that need knows no season.
And while the holidays can be extremely difficult for many families,
um, need exists at any other time throughout the year.
So the salvation army is always open and seeking gifts, um,
a financial donations gift, um, and kind of food, hygiene products,
um, things of that nature that we can use to support, um,
our families and individuals in our community year round.
So giving doesn't have to stop on December 24th.
Giving is a year round, um, opportunity to support the work that
we do here.
And it goes back into our community opportunity.
I like that.
It's an opportunity for people to help.
That's really good.
I like that.
Yeah.
And of course, Randy, use that in the real estate all the time.
It's an opportunity.
Everything's there.
Well, and, uh, so I want to thank you both.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
He's the advisory board chairman for the salvation army amongst a million
other things he does in life.
Makes me feel guilty for sitting in my couch watching date line reruns.
Yeah.
You guys are out working.
And of course, Captain Eddie Williams just devoted his entire life
to the salvation army.
Pretty much.
Yeah.
That's it.
Also, we're also looking for advisory board members.
Shameless plug.
Community oriented people who, uh, who obviously love Jesus and have a heart for service.
I mean, so you can contact the salvation army.
And we'd love to, to meet with you and, um, kind of call me.
Yeah.
Call Randy.
Yes.
I'd be more than happy to talk to you.
It's not a huge commitment.
I'm not trying to overstate it.
Yeah.
But, uh, we do need people on the board.
All right.
And how do they contact you?
Uh, they can call me, uh, 262 994 27 38.
Any hour of the day or night.
Oh, yes.
I know.
I just like people's response.
Well, they say that they want to say yes, but they don't want to say yes.
Thank you guys very much for coming in this morning.
Thank you.
Thank you.