Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher shows the Salvation Army Quad Cities' traveling trophy on Thursday, Jan. 30, at Bettendorf City Hall. Mr. Gallagher earned the honor – for a third consecutive year – for collecting more money in the Red Kettle campaign than other QC area mayors. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher has again won the battle of the bells as he helped the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign collect money for people in need. On Thursday, Jan. 30, the mayor was presented the Salvation Army Quad Cities’ traveling trophy for collecting the most money during a two-hour competition on Saturday, Dec. 7, […]
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Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher has again won the battle of the bells as he helped the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign collect money for people in need.On Thursday, Jan. 30, the mayor was presented the Salvation Army Quad Cities’ traveling trophy for collecting the most money during a two-hour competition on Saturday, Dec. 7, against the other area mayors.From left, Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher; Major Lucy Gates, Quad Cities area coordinator for The Salvation Army; and Gary Alden, board chairman for The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities; strike a pose on Thursday, Jan. 30, during a trophy presentation. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSONThis is the third consecutive time that Mr. Gallagher has won the award on behalf of Bettendorf.According to Salvation Army leaders, Mr. Gallagher was able to collect $535 during the Red Kettle campaign. He rang the bill and collected donations at the Hy-Vee store at 2900 Devils Glen Road, Bettendorf.His competitors, who were stationed at other area Hy-Vee stores at the same time, included: Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms, Milan Mayor Duane Dawson and Moline Alderman Dan McNeil. The mayors and aldermen raised a total of about $1,200 during the competition.“It was a great afternoon and we had some good weather for the event,” Mr. Gallagher said of the competition. He was presented with the trophy in his Bettendorf City Hall office.In addition to the favorable weather, Mr. Gallagher outlined some other reasons behind his big day of collecting donations. Some of those reasons included: getting the word out on social media ahead of time; striking up conversations with shoppers as they entered Hy-Vee; and reminding those same people that he was helping the Salvation Army with donations as they left the store.“I always tell them that any little bit helps,” he said. The mayor added that another big factor in winning the Salvation Army trophy centers on the generosity of the many people.
Community real winner
“I think the real winner here has been the community,” Gary Alden, board chairman for The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities, said at the ceremony.This is the second traveling trophy awarded by the Salvation Army this month. The bell-ringing work also earned the Hy-Vee store at 4064 E. 53rd St., Davenport, that honor on Tuesday, Jan 14.During a similar two-hour competition in early December, nine area Hy-Vee stores raised a total of about $2,200. The Davenport 53rd Street store topped the other stores by raising almost $400 during the event.“The Salvation Army of the QCA goal is to reduce homelessness, food insecurity and help cure hunger in the community. In the past four months, 2,697 people have been served through just our food pantry in Scott County,” according to the local Salvation Army organization.In 2024, the Salvation Army kicked off the Red Kettle campaign on Nov. 8 with 40 kettle sites. Of those, 24 were on the Iowa side, 16 on the Illinois side, and many were located outside Hy-Vee stores. The Red Kettle Campaign – the oldest annual charitable fundraiser of its kind in the U.S. – helps raise money for those in need and provides toys for kids, coats for homeless people, food for the hungry and many social service programs. This season’s local Red Kettle campaign goal was $700,000. That campaign goes through the end of January. The final results of their season’s Red Kettle campaign are expected to be announced in February.That $700,000 campaign goal is actually smaller than in some past years. For instance, in 2022, the goal was to raise $770,000 during the campaign.This season’s financial goal is lower because of the many unknown factors about the local economy and how it is impacting people who may donate money, Major Lucy Gates, Quad Cities area coordinator for The Salvation Army, said at the November kick-off ceremony.