Virtual Kettle Setup Directions
Setting up an individual fundraiser page to join the Crary Virtual Kettle 2023 team for The Salvation Army is fairly intuitive. If you need a guide at any point in the process here are step-by-step directions for starting your own on-line virtual kettle fundraiser associated with your Christmas decorations at your home, church or business.
Remember, anyone can help with a virtual kettle. Whether you have one light of hope or 10,000 it is the spirit of good will that is important!
Step 1. Go directly to give.salvationarmyusa.org/crary2023 or click on the “Kettle Setup” link at craryrealestate.com/christmas-2023. Once you are on that page look to the left and click on “Join team“.
Step 2. You will now see a popup page called “Start fundraising” with two options: Either “SIGN IN” or “CREATE AN ACCOUNT”. If you are new to helping or donating thru a Salvation Army virtual kettle then click the option “CREATE AN ACCOUNT” to start the setup for your own fundraiser under the Crary Virtual Kettle 2023 team kettle. (If you already have an account then click on “SIGN IN” and it will take you directly to Step 5 below.)
Step 3. It asks you to “Create an account” with your email address and a password to start your own fundraiser page and to be able to get back into your account later. Note the four safety requirements on this “Create an account” popup and check out their “Terms and Privacy Policy” information. After you have put in your email address and a password click on “NEXT”.
Step 4. On the next page it asks you to “Complete your profile” with your first and last name. After you do so click on the box that says “SIGN UP”.
Step 5. You are now on the “Create your page”. Here you need to respond about the details of your fundraiser. There are seven important things to do here:
I) If you wish to honor someone, click in and fill in the “I’m fundraising to honor someone else.” But you can choose to skip this and leave it blank.
II) Next is the “Set your fundraising goal”. You may change the $500 fundraising goal to whatever you want but I suspect that most people will leave that. (There is no obligation to pay anything for not reaching a goal but the site needs a dollar amount.)
III) You need to fill in the “Fundraising end date”. It is Sunday, January 7th, 2024 – the first full day after Epiphany. Click on the calendar icon and a monthly calendar pops up. Look for an arrow in the upper right corner of the popup. Click on the little forward arrow which moves the calendar to January, 2024 if needed. Hover your mouse over January 7th, 2024 and click on that date.
IV) It next asks you to make a comment on “Your Page’s Headline”. You could leave this if you wish and move on. If you want to make a comment either add it to the sentence “Fundraise for good for the Salvation Army.” You may also erase that sentence and add your own comment about helping to raise some money for the Salvation Army.
V) It next asks you to pick what city and state “I’m fundraising for”. Click in this box and a drop-down menu pops up with a list of cities that start with the letter “A”. Make sure you start typing Grand Forks, ND in the box. The site will then start to scroll the drop-down menu alphabetically to include Grand Forks, ND. Click on the Grand Forks, ND option to auto-populate the box.
VI) You are asked to “Set your Fundraising Page’s short URL”. This is your unique web address to share for fundraising! It is optional so you don’t have to do anything here. However, we HIGHLY recommend you put your street address in the box– with no space between the words (do not include the city as that has already been done in number V). Adding your street address will help associate your home on the master list of decorated homes at craryrealestate.com/Christmas-2023 with your virtual kettle for donations. (If you reach out to people to donate to your fundraiser page in emails, texts, on Facebook and other Social media you can include your special URL as a link to donate. I think potential donors will have more confidence to click on the give.salvationarmyusa.org/youraddress tagged after the back slash (/) – rather than the six numbers you will otherwise be given.
VII) Click the “NEXT” tab at the bottom of the page.)
Step 6. A new popup appears called “Choose your photo” associated with your fundraising page. This is where you can drop in a picture of your home with your decorations in their full glory! If you wish for us to take a nighttime photo of your decorated home call Mindy at 701-775-0013 during business hours. You don’t have to have a photo. Either way, click on the “CONTINUE” tab.
Step 7. On the next page under “Member Questions” please fill in some details about yourself and when you are done click “Finish”.
You will now arrive on your personal fundraising page within the Crary Virtual Kettle 2023 team page!
There other things you can do on your personal fundraising page but only if you want. For instance, you can add a Fundraiser Nickname in a word or two. If you do this consider something that identifies the theme or feeling you may want to convey with your Christmas decorations.
Now please start sharing the news of your fundraising effort to family, friends, neighbors and coworkers by sharing your special URL web address. And let everyone know they can also find lots of joyous Christmas decorated homes to tour at craryrealestate.com!
Again, if you have questions about this process, please feel free to reach out to us at 701-775-0013.
Thank you and good luck with your fundraising effort.
Merry Christmas!
The Crary Virtual Kettle 2023 Team
Crary Real Estate
701-775-0013
4551 S Washington St, Suite G
Grand Forks, ND 58201
