New Twins manager Molitor tapped as Christmas Chair
Major League Baseball fans used to call Paul Molitor “The Ignitor” because he generated sparks on the baseball field.
This holiday season, The Salvation Army is hoping the Hall of Famer and new Minnesota Twins manager can help ignite something else: a successful 2014 Christmas Campaign.
The Twin Cities Salvation Army is proud to announce Molitor as honorary chair of the 2014 Christmas Campaign. From now until Christmas, he will help lead The Salvation Army in raising millions for food, shelter, housing, and other programs that serve thousands of local families in need.
“I am honored to be chairman of this year’s Christmas Campaign, and am privileged to be a part of the life-changing services to so many families and individuals in the Twin Cities,” he said.
Molitor is a St. Paul native best known for the 15 years he spent playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. The seven-time All-Star went on to become World Series MVP of the Toronto Blue Jays championship team of 1993, ending his 21-year career with the Minnesota Twins from 1996–1998.
Molitor agreed to be Christmas chair well before he knew he’d be named Twins manager. He became interested in The Salvation Army a year ago at a prayer breakfast, where he sat with leaders of the charity.
“I think back to my childhood … and the memory of red kettles and bells is very vivid to me,” he recalled. “I thought that the (bell ringers) were doing it to help others. But I never understood just how far-reaching the programs go.”
Molitor is a devout Christian who believes in The Salvation Army’s mission of serving in the name of Jesus Christ, without discrimination.
“The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve,” he said. “The Salvation Army has taken that and put it into practice, motivated by an opportunity to spread the gospel through good service.”
Among other events, Molitor is scheduled to appear at the Rock the Red Kettle kickoff event on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Cub Foods in Uptown. As part of this event, all donations given online through Saturday, Nov. 8 will be matched by Cub Foods, up to $15,000.
The kettles will be at select locations from kickoff until Thanksgiving, after which more than 500 kettle locations will blanket the Twin Cities until Christmas Eve.
“We are thrilled to have Mr. Molitor join us this Christmas season,” said Major Jeff Strickler, Twin Cities Salvation Army commander. “With his help, and that of our volunteers and our financial supporters, we are sure to hit the 2014 Christmas Campaign out of the park.”