Dedicated volunteers like Carl Fader are the backbone behind the Salvation Army’s annual Kettle Campaign.
“After I worked at the dockyards for 25 years, I retired and I said I've got to have something to do,” says Carl. “So I volunteered to go on the kettles.”
That was 23 years ago.
Since then, the 85-year-old has spent his days making a difference in people’s lives.
“If anything ever happens, I don't know what I would possibly do without Carl,” says Kelly Currie, with the Salvation Army. “If I need a kettle shift filled, if I need someone to pick up food, if I need someone to drop something off, Carl is always there. So, he's just been a God sent for us here at the Salvation Army.”
Although Carl himself is a senior, he still volunteers his time helping with seniors’ day programs.
“He's actually older than quite a few of them, but he's still there volunteering. He volunteers every day of the week. He's a wonderful gentleman,” says Kelly.
Carl's enthusiasm rubs off on the other volunteers.
“I look forward to every Monday morning, coming in there. You gotta come in early to beat Carl, to be here before him,” says volunteer Fred Nurse. “He's easy to get along with, he's just really a good person.”
Carl’s not afraid to step in wherever he is needed. When the real Santa Claus couldn't make it down from the North Pole, he stepped into the big red suit.
“We had our moms and tots kids in and we were looking for a Santa and I found Carl and Carl volunteered to be our Santa,” says Andrew Wilson, with the Salvation Army.
Carl says it's the little moments that make all the hard work and dedication worth it.
“Seeing the smile on kid’s faces,” says Carl.
Congratulations Carl Fader, our Maritimer of the Week!
If you know someone deserving of our Maritimer of the Week award, we want to hear about it.
It doesn’t matter how old they are, the nature of the good deed they’ve done, or what part of the region they live in — we want your ideas!
Please send your nomination to:
or
Maritimer of the Week
P.O. Box 1653
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 2Z4
