Mitchell Salvation Army Harvest Festival Raises Funds for Community

The annual harvest festival hosted by the Mitchell Salvation Army raised vital funds for its daily lunch program and food pantry on October 4, 2025. Held at the Corps Community Center Thrift Store, the event showcased community spirit and generosity, featuring a variety of activities and fundraising initiatives.

The festival included a silent auction with items donated by local businesses, including Walmart, and fresh vegetables grown by the nearby Hutterite community. Attendees enjoyed a lunch featuring pulled pork sandwiches, chips, and sodas, while children participated in activities such as face painting and pumpkin painting.

This year marks the first harvest festival for Captain Bobby Key, who has been in Mitchell for three months. With a decade of experience with the Salvation Army, Key expressed gratitude for the community’s support. He stated, “All that goes to help our food program, our inventory, our clothes, helping people with rent and utilities.”

By midday, the event had already raised $1,000, with expectations to reach approximately $1,500 by the end of the day. Key noted, “That’ll supply our feeding pantry for a month.” The daily lunch program typically serves around 40 to 50 people each day, underscoring the importance of this fundraising effort.

The Salvation Army continually accepts donations of household items for its thrift store, as well as food items for the pantry. Prepared foods, like casseroles, are especially welcomed for the daily lunch program, as they save kitchen staff time in food preparation and cleanup.

Key also highlighted the extensive community involvement in making the festival a success. Local organizations, including the Mitchell Police Department, have actively participated, with many individuals reaching out to inquire about volunteering opportunities this year.

The origins of the harvest festival date back to when the Hutterite community began donating excess fruits and vegetables to the Salvation Army, a practice that has continued to grow. Ron DeGrood, a longtime supporter of the festival, has been involved for the past 14 years. He recalled that, in the early years, truckloads of produce were brought to the thrift store and auctioned off by two auctioneers, significantly benefiting the community.

According to Major Linda Jones, the early harvest festival efforts laid the groundwork for the current initiatives. DeGrood emphasized that most of the funds raised by the Salvation Army come from its annual bell-ringing campaign during the Christmas season, which runs from Black Friday through New Year’s Day. This fundraising is crucial for supporting local disaster relief efforts.

“If somebody’s looking to help out, that’s one spot where they can really help out a lot,” DeGrood stated, indicating the ongoing need for community support.

The successful harvest festival not only raised funds but also fostered a sense of unity among the residents of Mitchell, reinforcing the importance of community contributions to local efforts.