Brooklyn Park Batman Lends a Hand to Salvation Army

The clock is ticking on the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign. Donations are down this year, but over the weekend they got some help from a kettle crusader, who happens to wear a cape.

The Brooklyn Park Salvation Army says it’s down $25,000 this year. They suspect cold weather keeping folks inside might have something to do with it. There’s also online shopping – with more people shipping purchases right to their door, fewer are walking past the kettles.

That has the Salvation Army looking for new ways to run their traditional campaign. They’ve set kettles out at sporting events. And they have a Google and Apple Pay link at every kettle site to combat the problem of people carrying cash less frequently.

But sometimes, it’s just about getting noticed. That’s why this weekend, bell ringers at the Brooklyn Park Hy-Vee got help from a unique source. “I knew they were way behind and there was an opening,” said a bell-ringing Batman.

Yes. Batman.

It’s not often you see the Defender of Gotham wearing a Santa hat, but Batman says he’ll do what he can for a good cause. “I believe in the Salvation Army,” says the Dark Knight. “I believe in the work that the Salvation Army does. All the different programs that they run with the youth in the area and then those families that are in need.”

Batman says fans of all ages stop to chat. “We’ve had 89-year-olds coming through here wanting to take a picture.” And that gets them close to the kettle where they’re more likely to donate. To sweeten the deal, Batman was matching donations up to $500 Saturday. And an anonymous donor is doing the same through Christmas Eve, up to a million dollars. That has the Salvation Army optimistic about the future despite the current shortfall.

“We are confident that in the last couple of days we will be able to make some of that up,” says Auxiliary Captain Josh Polanco, who was delighted for another reason as well. “I get to hang out with Batman on a beautiful day,” he enthused.

To learn more about donating to the Salvation Army, click here.

Brooklyn Park