The Santa Claus parade season isn’t the only big kickoff this weekend – our local charities have started their holiday campaigning.

Every Saturday morning in the weeks leading up to Christmas, Arthur Welsh sits down to play carols in the Georgian Mall in Barrie the Salvation Army Band. Welsh has been doing this at one location of another since he was 10, he’s now 70 and as committed as ever to helping people in need. He says every donation helps.

“The most important message that we can give out is that your help helps them have a good Christmas.”

The mall was busy with Christmas shoppers on Saturday and the music draws attention to the donation kettle of the Salvation Army’s most important fundraisers of the year. Roger Croucher says he is happy to put some money in if he has cash in his pocket.

“Now days everybody has credit cards and debit cards, nobody carries cash. It’s a matter if you have cash on you, when I ever I see them I usually put a couple bucks or whatever I can.”

The goal is to raise $450,000 this year but the Salvation Army needs volunteers to man the kettles and help make that happen.  Major Byron Kean says the money stays in the community and will help pay for programs at the Barrie Bayside Mission Centre.

“It raises about a third of our budge so we can pay for programs all year not just at Christmas.”

The Salvation Army is only one of numerous charities trying to raise money at the time of year. Local artists and chefs are also continuing with their efforts to fill empty bowls.

The Artisans Christmas show is an annual event at the Simcoe County Museum. This is where hundreds of handmade bowls were being sold Saturday with a portion of frozen soup. Shaughna Crew says the bowls and the soup have are donated by potters and chefs to raise money for Christmas Cheer.

“Every community has issues with hunger and people and people in their own community being hungry. So this is nice we can keep everything local and support the local people who need it.”

The Empty Bowls event continues on Sunday at the Simcoe County Museum each year the event raises between $4,000 and $5,000 for Christmas Cheer.