Capt. John Merchant

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  www.star-gazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2007111 - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 11/15/2007    Last Visited: 11/16/2007  

  "The Salvation Army has a major need for bellringers," said Captain John Merchant, director of The Salvation Army in Corning."Calls have been trickling in from caring individuals and groups, but we need many, many more and we need them as soon as possible."
  
  Any group or individual interested in assisting The Salvation Army with its most important fundraiser of the year should call as soon as possible to schedule, Capt. Merchant said.

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  www.abergavennyrfc.co.uk/default.asp?contentID=540 - [Cached Version]
  Last Visited: 10/26/2008  

  Jack Merchant
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  Jack Merchant
  
  Captain Gareth Williams v Nelson

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  Corning Leader - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 11/7/2002    Last Visited: 11/7/2002  

  "The Red Kettle campaign is 25 percent of our operating budget," said Capt. Kimberly Merchant, who with husband John, is commanding officer at the Corning Citadel.
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  Capt. John Merchant had hoped to begin this year's effort Friday - but he has no bell ringers.The starting date has been moved to Wednesday.
  
  There is a core of groups that take bell in hand to raise money every year.But a change in leadership at the Corning Salvation Army has left many blanks in information, particularly with regard to Red Kettle volunteers.
  
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  "The best thing for them all is to call," Capt. John Merchant said.
  
  With the demise of Ames Department Stores, Merchant sees a large hole in the campaign.Traditionally, contributions at the Painted Post site made up a large portion of the kettle receipts.No other business has stepped in to fill the void.
  
  Community National Banks will offer paper kettles, much like those for the earlier muscular dystrophy campaign.But Merchant's concerns remain.

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  Corning Leader - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 12/18/2004    Last Visited: 12/18/2004  

  "We still have 70 children left to get presents for," said Capt. John Merchant of the Corning Salvation Army.
  
  Merchant urged local residents to pick a child from the Salvation Army Angel Tree at the Wal-Mart in Gang Mills and other locations and select a gift.
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  Merchant warned the drive has raised ,68,000 , slightly more than half of its 2004 goal of ,130,000.
  
  "If we are not able to meet our goal, we might not be able to take care of all of the needs of our community," Merchant said.

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  Corning Leader - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 12/18/2002    Last Visited: 12/18/2002  

  "The only way we can meet our goal is if the generosity of the community comes through," said Capt. John Merchant of the Corning Salvation Army."We've got to have faith."
  
  Both Salvation Army locations also are having a hard time getting volunteers as kettle bell ringers.
  
  In Elmira, they have had to pay people to be bell ringers and in Corning, they have given some people meal allowances.
  
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  Merchant said Salvation Army officials usually try to avoid these costs because they cut into the money being raised.
  
  This year, though, they were left little choice.
  
  "We lose hundreds of dollars for important community programs when our kettle sites are left unmanned," Harris said.
  
  More volunteers are needed for day, night and weekend kettle shifts through Tuesday, when the campaign comes to a close.
  
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  "We hope people decide to help out at the last minute," Merchant said."Otherwise a lot of these children will go without on Christmas."
  
  Harris said the poor response to this year's holiday programs is particularly troubling because so many more people need help.
  
  "We have gone from 750 families last year to 850 this year, and the children have increased by 500 - from 1,000 last year to 1,500 this year," he said.

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  Corning Leader - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 1/1/2005    Last Visited: 1/1/2005  

  "These are difficult times for our community, and when unemployment benefits run out in May or June, some of these 1,200 people without jobs will be coming to the Salvation Army for assistance," said Capt. John Merchant, commander of the Corning center.

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  Corning Leader - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 12/9/2004    Last Visited: 12/9/2004  

  Capt. John Merchant said the need for charities in the area will dramatically increase this year with layoffs at Avanex in Gang Mills and MT Picture Display in Horseheads.Philips Lighting recently laid off 18 employees, increasing unemployment levels in Bath.
  
  "Right now, we won't have the resources," said Merchant."And we're looking at more layoffs in the area?"
  
  The Salvation Army usually puts together a Christmas basket with three-days-worth of meals, capping off the holiday fare with a turkey and a few gifts.
  
  Yet with fewer volunteers raising less money and more charities competing for donations, Merchant is worried.
  
  Merchant said his agency provides for families outside of Corning, including 200 families in Addison and 100 families in Bath.Yet the church's efforts to help those who are needy throughout all of Steuben County will be restricted if they can't put the familiar kettles in front of stores in the area.
  
  In other years, the Salvation Army has placed kettles in Bath in front of Tops, P&C, Kmart and two branches of Bath National Bank.This year, Merchant can only find enough volunteers to put kettles in front of three stores.
  
  "I've heard there are a lot of rumors that the Salvation Army isn't taking care of people in Bath and that just isn't true," Merchant said."We've been taking care of a lot of people in Bath out of our general funds for the past few years.That hasn't changed and that won't change."
  
  Merchant said his church spends ,25,000 each year in the Bath area.Last year, the Kettle Drive at five locations in Bath collected ,8,000.
  
  Recently, the Steuben County Salvation Army reported it is ,10,000 behind in its campaign to raise ,130,000.The goal represents a ,27,000 increase over last year, but needs have also increased as hundreds of jobs have disappeared from the local economy, Merchant said.
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  "I can only help with what we raise," Merchant said."This year, it's going to be scarce."
  
  Merchant knows what many families will face this year.He's been there.
  
  "This does try my faith," he said.

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  Corning Leader - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 12/4/2004    Last Visited: 12/4/2004  

  If help doesn't come soon, however, local Salvation Army chapters could resort to cutting programs or turning away the needy, said Capt. John Merchant.
  
  The Steuben County Salvation Army so far is ,10,000 behind in its campaign to raise ,130,000.The goal represents a ,27,000 increase over last year, but needs have also increased as hundreds of jobs have disappeared from the local economy, Merchant said.
  
  "A lot of people we have that come are the working poor," he said.

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  Corning Leader - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 11/28/2002    Last Visited: 11/28/2002  

  In Corning, between kettle donations and those sent through the mail, the shortfall is about $6,000 so far, said Capt. John Merchant.
  
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  Merchant said they have not hired any bell ringers in Corning, but they are struggling to keep their kettles manned.
  
  "With the amount of donations we have coming in, we're only getting about $10 an hour.If we had to pay someone about $6 an hour, it would almost defeat the purpose," he said.
  
  Instead, they are calling past volunteers, asking them to please help out again this year.
  
  The campaign started Nov. 13 and runs through Dec. 24.
  
  Corning has four kettles out currently and two more will be added next week.There are 16 kettles in the Elmira area.
  
  "Keeping in mind that the economy is down, we anticipated we would get about $40,000 this year," Merchant said."But right now we're not even on track for $30,000."
  
  It's a rough year to be low on donations because there are more people in need, Merchant said..
  
  He said about 300 families have signed up for holiday food baskets, and 500 children want toys.
  
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  Merchant said he has never seen a Red Kettle campaign get so little response, but he remains optimistic things will pick up.
  
  "People in this community always rally behind us when it comes down to it," he said."I still believe people will give from the heart and make it a good Christmas for everyone."
  
  Area residents need only give their pocket change, if that's all they can spare, Harris said.
  
  "If everybody gives a little bit, it ends up amounting to a lot," she said.

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  Star-Gazette.COM - Letters - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 3/15/2006    Last Visited: 3/16/2006  

  John and Kim Merchant of the Salvation Army in Corning would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took part in making our Christmas season a success.
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  CAPT. JOHN MERCHANT
  
  The Salvation Army

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