Detroit Red Wings Raise $24,000 for Salvation Army

Several former and current Detroit Red Wings rang the bell for The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign Tuesday, raising a total of $24,438.69.

In a friendly competition between four duos of Red Wings personnel, Coach Mike Babcock and Executive Vice President and General Manager Ken Holland successfully defended their bell ringing title by raising $13,462 for the nonprofit, which included an anonymous $5,000 donation. The two were at Hiller's Market in Northville from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Babcock and Holland saw a 37.9 percent increase over the $9,761.06 amount raised by the duo last season.

“We can’t thank Ken Holland, Mike Babcock, some of the team's most beloved former players and the entire Detroit Red Wings organization enough for this fantastic event that has helped move us toward our $8.5 million 2012 Red Kettle goal,” said Major Mark Anderson, general secretary and metro Detroit area commander for The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division.

This is the seventh year the duo has rung the bell at Northville, and Holland is serving as Honorary Chairman of the 2012 Red Kettle Campaign for the seventh straight year.

Babcock said they are happy to come out and help.

"It's a great cause and we like to be involved," he said.

Holland said he is glad to support an organization that gives back locally.

"We're fortunate to have jobs that allow us to give back to this organization that has given so much to the community," he said.

How the Others Stacked Up

Former players Chris Chelios and Kris Draper finished second with a total of $7,400.85 thanks to a few sizable donations at Hockeytown Authentics in Troy. Caravan Facilities Management, LLC, made a donation of $1,000 and an anonymous donor contributed $5,000 to The Salvation Army. In addition, a local 2002 Little Caesars AAA hockey team raised $200 for the pair. 

The team of former goaltenders Manny Legace and Chris Osgood collected $2,797, staying late to finish signing autographs for the hundreds of fans who showed up at a Kroger in Plymouth.

Radio play-by-play announcer Ken Kal and former player Kirk Maltby received $778.84 in donations while bell-ringing at a Kroger in St. Clair Shores.

“It was amazing to see just how many fans came out across Metro Detroit to join the Red Wings in this friendly competition to do the most good for the hungry and homeless in our area," Anderson said.

The total of $24,438.69 raised by the four tandems for The Salvation Army was a 42.5 percent increase from .

The average red kettle collects $200 in donations each day, and the donations collected by the four pairings in just two hours would equal 122 days of bell ringing. 

This season marks the seventh consecutive year the Detroit Red Wings and The Salvation Army teamed up through the “Red Wings for Red Kettles” initiative to help the nonprofit reach its $8.5 million Red Kettle Campaign goal. Including this year’s competition, the team has raised nearly $70,000 since 2005 for the cause. 

How to Help

Though the Red Wings’ 2012 fundraising competition is in the record books, it’s not too late for Metro Detroiters to give to The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign. To make a contribution, make a deposit into one of nearly 450 red kettles at storefronts throughout the area through Dec. 24. You can also donate the following ways:

• Visit www.salmich.org
• Call 877-SAL-MICH 
• Text “GOODMICH” to 80888* (an automatic $10 donation) 
• Send a check or money order, made payable to The Salvation Army, to: 16130 Northland Dr., Southfield, MI 48075