Salvation Army to hold 27th annual telethon on April 9

Apr. 4—Though Jane Sturdivant, the business manager for the Salvation Army of Whitfield, Murray and Gordon County, has only been in Dalton for less than a year, it didn't take long for her to learn about Dalton resident and local Salvation Army Advisory Board member Billie Little.

"She's well-known in the community," Sturdivant said. "She's kind of like the Dolly Parton of Dalton."

For decades, Little has been a familiar face around town, whether it was through her involvement with the local Girls Scouts as a troop leader or her heavy involvement in organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Creative Arts Guild.

But one of her biggest contributions, Sturdivant said, has been the annual Billie Little Youth Services Telethon, which raises money to fund the Salvation Army's Music and Arts Summer Day Camp for children later in the year.

This year, the 27th annual telethon will air live on Tuesday, April 9, from 7 to 9 p.m. on WDNN channel 10.

"All of the money raised from this telethon will go towards our summer camp so that parents don't have to pay a fee," said Sturdivant.

The camp, for children ages 7 to 13, is a six-week program during summer break and involves field trips each week. Past trips have included trampoline parks, nearby museums and national parks, and the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga.

"It's music and arts based, so they'll have a major, which includes something like band, piano or guitar," Sturdivant said. "They also get to choose an elective, which could be theater or creative arts based. For the younger kids, they'll have (easier trades) to learn, like hand bells."

Sturdivant said Little will be in attendance for the telethon Tuesday evening when the goal is to raise $35,000 to cover the costs of the summer camp.

"That would also include things like payroll, CPR training for our staff, first aid certifications, all of it," Sturdivant said. "$35,000 is actually the same goal as last year, but last year they were able to raise a little over $50,000."

Donations raised throughout the week and during the telethon will also help cover provided meals and supplies for the students attending the camp, which Sturdivant said maxes out at 50.

"They'll spend five weeks here in Dalton and the last week is actually being held at an overnight camp called Camp Grandview in Jasper, Georgia," she said. "Camp Grandview is a whole summer camp in and of itself, and each week is a different theme for the kids."

Sturdivant, who moved to Dalton from North Carolina in August, said this will be her first time being involved with the telethon.

"I'm very excited," she said. "We're also going to mention this in the telethon, but this year is also our 75th anniversary in Dalton. We're going to have a 75th Gala in October."

Individuals interested in sending donations can mail a check to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1463, Dalton, GA 30720, or they can visit the Salvation Army of Whitfield, Murray and Gordon County Facebook page.

"Everything's shared there," Sturdivant said. "There's a QR code and a direct link to donate online. We sent letters out around three weeks ago, so we've already started collecting donations."

Sturdivant said to write "For telethon" on the memo line for individuals planning on writing a check to the organization.