A symbol of the holiday season is returning to Downtown Detroit on Friday as the Salvation Army's World's Tallest Red Kettle arrives.
The kettle serves as a beacon of hope for a fundraising effort that is more important than ever.
The world's largest red kettle will sit right in Cadillac Square, next to Campus Martius Park. It's all part of the annual Red Kettle campaign, which begins the holiday giving season across Southeast Michigan.
The kettle stands 56 feet tall, 24 feet wide and will have 26,000 LED lights attached to it. The lights will remain unlit until the annual Detroit tree lighting.
Major Dawn Worthy told us how important this time of year is for the organization.
“It’s not just a holiday landmark, but this is a beacon of hope that symbolizes this great community’s generosity and the enduring mission of the Salvation Army," she said.
“The Salvation Army got its start in 1887 above a fish market in Campus Martius. And so, now we are setting up the world’s largest red kettle in the very spot where that Salvation Army started. And, to be able to serve this community in the same way all these years is such a wonderful thing," Worthy added.
She said the goal this year is to raise roughly $7 million for Metro Detroit.
This story was originally published by Ryan Marshall with the Scripps News Group station in Detroit.
