The recent mail strike has the local Salvation Army working on a Plan B to make sure its Christmas campaign is successful.
Annually the Salvation Army does a mail-out campaign to area residents asking for support. Major Robert Burrell tells the Mail that before the campaign was run nationally, the funds were distributed using the postal codes of the donors.
Last year, each church took over the campaign where they would bulk mail out appeal letters for support.
Over the last few weeks, they have been busy at the office writing and printing the letters and stuffing envelopes, however, with the mail strike, they are not able to send them out.
He says the campaign last year meant about $30,000 in donations for The Salvation Army.
To hopefully resurrect the campaign, they have reached out to supportive local community businesses.
“With the strike, we are a little concerned, so what we have done is reached out to Freson Bros. and No Frills and they have been extremely receptive,” he said, noting they are letting The Salvation Army place the letters at their business.
They have also left letters at the Faux Den in downtown Drumheller, the convenience store in Nacmine, the Starland County office and other supportive businesses throughout the community.
“The donations can be dropped off, of course, at our 90 South Railway Avenue West address,” said Burrell. “If this is not possible you may call our office number for a pick-up.”
He says what has become apparent to him since they have been doing the mail-out campaign is the vastness of the area the Drumheller Salvation Army serves.
While they provide many services to the Drumheller area, they would not turn down serving people from throughout the area.
Already he notes that some residents who have donated through the mail campaign have taken note and are bringing in donations in person.
“It's encouraging,” he says, adding there are many other campaigns where residents can show their support, including the kettle campaign.

Town of Drumheller’s Street Improvement Program (SIP) targeted more than just roadways this year, with more than two kilometres of sidewalk repairs were also included as part of this program.
Along with repairs to existing sidewalks, crews also completed repairs on three wheelchair ramps and paving sections of the new Rails to Trails pathway network between Highway 56 and 5 Street East.
Sidewalks and curbs were installed along Highway 9 at Highway 56 and at the intersection of 5 Street East and Highway 9 where the former railway crossed the highway; this was done due to safety reasons.
In total about 2.72 kilometres of sidewalk was repaired as part of the SIP, including a stretch of sidewalk along Riverside Drive East near Veterans Way, along 11 Street SE between South Railway Avenue and 7 Avenue East in Newcastle, as well as areas in Rosedale along Centre Street and 1 Avenue North.
A total of $397,811 was budgeted for sidewalk repairs and rehabilitation, and this came in under budget by approximately $200,000.