Elgin Salvation Army honors Golden Kettle winners

After a holiday season in which the Salvation Army Elgin Corps exceeded its fundraising goal of $240,000, the group held a recognition breakfast Thursday to honor volunteers and sponsors and hand out the annual Golden Kettle Awards.

"Every donation that goes in the bucket, every volunteer hour, every time that somebody volunteers to help serve, it's addressing an immediate need that somebody has who is walking through our doors," Captain Rich Forney said.

Seventy-eight groups took part in ringing bells during the 2021 Red Kettle campaign, with a total of 688 volunteer hours logged.

Golden Kettles trophies are awarded for the top fundraisers in five categories - design-a-kettle, high school challenge, service club challenge, all-volunteer day overall performer, and the Christmas Community Impact Award.

The winners were:

• Revcor, Inc for design-a-kettle;

• St. Edward Central Catholic High School in the high school challenge;

• Elgin Breakfast Rotary Club in both the service club and all-volunteer day challenges;

• OTTO Engineering won the Christmas Community Impact Award.

Roughly 90 people attended the recognition breakfast, which the Salvation Army says will be an annual event at Elgin Community College.

"It's humbling to be in the position of both embracing those who are in need and also working with the volunteers and groups who provide for them," Captain Linnea Forney said.