The final numbers are in for the 2014 Salvation Army drive in the Northwoods and a change in how people use money might be affecting the totals.
District Representative Tom Bremer says they're noticing a trend at the red kettles that people aren't carrying as much cash as before...
"....the public is changing, using debit cards more and more, so people have less and less cash, so that is something we're going to do some planning about. We'll always be out there doing this, but maybe at some point there may be some sort of credit processing machine..."
Bremer says Rhinelander fell about 20 percent short of its goal, while places like Eagle River, Antigo and Minocqua did very well. Antigo set a record.
In the 16 counties Bremer assists in an area north of Highway 64, the drive overall was down about 10 percent. That money is used to assist people in need, with 86 percent staying in the local communities. Bremer says nine percent of the entire U.S. population uses the services of the Salvation Army every year, be it disaster relief, help with Social Services or other functions.
Bremer says you can still make a donation locally at P.O. Box 1081 Rhinelander, or go online at Salvation armyusa.org/ Rhinelander or your local community.
