ORLANDO, Fla. — Every year for the past seven years, the Salvation Army has held its Donation Rotation event at Orlando’s ICON Park around the holiday period to raise awareness on the Red Kettle Campaign, which serves to collect donations for those who need it the most.

This year’s Donation Rotation event was a bittersweet one for Salvation Army Area Commander Maj. Ken Chapman, since it would be his last.

What You Need To Know

  • Salvation Army’s Donation Rotation event wraps up for the seventh year in a row

  • This year’s Donation Rotation event also marked Salvation Army Area Commander Maj. Ken Chapman’s last

  • The event serves as a way to raise awareness on the  Red Kettle Campaign and collect donations for people in need during the holiday period

  • Chapman said there has been an increase in demand for Salvation Army services this year

To commemorate it, Chapman spent four hours riding the iconic Orlando Eye, from 4 to 8 p.m., with the same goal as always: raising awareness and donations for people in need this time of year.

For this year’s Donation Rotation event, the Salvation Army’s World Largest Red Kettle was positioned right next to ICON Park’s Christmas tree, and facing the Orlando Eye.

Chapman said this year has been particularly challenging since the need for services has increased by 38% compared to 2023, which he blames on the rising cost of living and lack of affordable housing.

However despite these difficult times, Chapman says it’s also the time where people are the most generous.

“It’s been my experience as a Salvation Army officer that in tough economic times or times of disaster like flooding and hurricanes, people do give more even though it’s harder for them to do that because they’re more aware of the need," he said. "I’ve seen that illustrated here in central Florida more than any place i’ve ever served,” says Salvation Army’s Area Commander for Orange and Osceola Counties."

According to Chapman, 60% of the Salvation Army’s budget is raised in November and December, which makes them the busiest months of the year.

That’s why he hopes to remind people that for every dollar donated, 82 cents goes directly to helping people in need in the Central Florida community.

When reflecting on his time as area commander, Chapman said a total of four days of his life over the past seven years have actually been spent in the Orlando Eye, raising money for communities in need and he says he wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Now, he’s ready to pass the torch after leading the event for the past seven years.

“You cultivate relationships with people and they become like your family and that’s the hard part," he said. "But the good part is you leave a heritage behind, you raise the bar a little bit and hopefully it’ll go even higher with the people that follow."

Around 6 p.m. on Friday, the organization had already raised $5,000 for its Red Kettle Campaign for the day.

For those who missed the Salvation Army’s World’s Largest Red Kettle, donations are still being accepted virtually by texting KETTLE to 24-365.