Give with Joy: Local Woman Challenges Others to Match Generous Gift to The Salvation Army

The holidays are a time to share blessings and spread joy in our communities. For Andrea Kuipers, it is also an opportunity to honor the memory of her late husband while giving back to an organization close to her heart. On December 4, 5, & 6, Andrea is encouraging shoppers to match her gift of $7,500 to The Salvation Army's annual Christmas Campaign with their own generous donations to Red Kettles in Tippecanoe County. 

Andrea Kuipers' gift is being made in honor of Dr. Fred Kuipers, her late husband, with the hope that others are encouraged to support The Salvation Army the way that he did for so many years. As a member of the Lafayette Rotary Club, Dr. Kuipers faithfully rang each fall on the club's special ringing day. This $7,500 kettle challenge is taking place while the Lafayette Rotary Club is ringing in recognition of this tradition. 

Andre Kuipers shared a message with The Salvation Army explaining why it was important to her family to give back in this way:

My family and I are pleased to support the work of The Salvation Army through our donation to the Christmas Campaign. We donate to honor the memory of my husband, Fred Kuipers. As a physician he gave much to our community, and after his retirement from medicine he greatly enjoyed encouraging the community to donate to The Salvation Army. Each holiday season, he looked forward to standing at a Salvation Army Red Kettle and ringing the bell as an an invitation to give. We are continuing his legacy and asking you to give generously to the Red Kettle program this season. The Salvation Army works joyfully and tirelessly to meet the needs of struggling families in our community. In addition to food, shelter, clothing, and financial help, they offer a Pathway of Hope program that offers life-changing opportunities through education, counseling, resources and care for the entire family. All this is done through their faithful use of our donated dollars, plus a great deal of faith - faith in God, faith in each person they help, and faith in us, the Lafayette community. When you hear that Red Kettle bell, would you please consider giving to The Salvation Army this season? Thank you. 

Donations made to The Salvation Army's Red Kettles fund programs and services throughout the year, helping thousands of local residents find the help - and hope - they need. Whether through youth programs, the food pantry, or the innovative Pathway of Hope program, the Tippecanoe County families helped by The Salvation Army depend upon the generosity of shoppers giving to Red Kettles each holiday season. 

"All donations will help further our abilities to help families in need," said Major Marlys Anderson of The Salvation Army Lafayette Corps. "A gift like Andrea Kuipers' challenges people of our community to reach deeper into their pockets, providing hope and extending a helping hand to our community in a much grander way.  Thank you for all that you do to make a difference in lives of others and to bring Christmas cheer to those who might not have had such a joyful time this season."

Shoppers looking for a Red Kettle this week will find bell ringers at Walmart, Sam's Club, Hobby Lobby, and near JCPenney and Kohl’s at the Tippecanoe Mall. Rotary Club members will be at Sam's Club, West Lafayette Walmart, and the Tippecanoe Mall on Saturday, but additional volunteer bell ringers are needed to ensure that the goal of raising $7,500 in just three days can be achieved. Anyone interested in volunteering to ring a bell this week is invited to visit RegisterToRing.com and find a location, date, and time that works for their schedule.

Every donation given to The Salvation Army through the annual Red Kettle Campaign provides help and hope to those in need, and all gifts stay right here in the community where it is given. Visit SALafayette.org to learn more about how you can help ensure that The Salvation Army can bring more joy to those in need in 2026.