Red Kettle Spirit Award

TYLER – Two groups are cheering in Tyler for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive. It’s a two day competition ending on Tuesday. The cheer and drill teams from John Tyler High School and Robert E Lee High School are facing off at the Red Kettles. Whichever group raises the most money receives the 1st Annual Christmas Kettle Spirit Award. Robert E Lee is ringing at the Broadway Square Mall’s Main entrance and the Dillard’s west entrance. John Tyler is ringing at both doors of Walmart on Highway 64 West. All the money they raise will go to feed, clothe and shelter persons in need in Smith County.

And with the drive ending on Friday, they are behind where they were a year ago. Their fundraising goal for 2016 is $400,000, a goal they’ve had since 2014 and have failed to meet since that time. In 2014, they raised $361,454.05 towards the goal, and in 2015 they fell even more short of their $400,000 goal, raising only $341,293.88. They currently are over $19,000 behind what they raised compared to this time last year.