ST. LOUIS — Downtown St. Louis became a little brighter Saturday night after the Salvation Army held their annual Christmas tree lighting.
The nonprofit said it's aiming to raise millions of dollars in St. Louis this year to combat poverty, provide housing and serve veterans.
The tree lighting for the national organization is a tradition started in St. Louis 77 years ago. 5 On Your Side's Annie Krall met with visitors at the event celebrating the spirit of the holidays.
Love was certainly in the air Saturday night for newly engaged Lafayette Square couple Kaelah McIntosh and Jonathan Myers.
"I'm excited to see the tree lighting and then I'll probably get some hot cocoa," McIntosh said.
"I love social events like this. They really bring a community together," Myers said. "It's really nice to see during the Christmas season how many people from downtown come to this area, and how life can just be brought up by something as simple as a Christmas tree being lit."
However, next December will look a little different for the couple with a wedding on the way: "potentially next year, maybe next December," McIntosh said, "because Christmas is my favorite holiday so we'll see."
Partners Peter Cwalino and Kimberly McConnell said they had to come, even though Cwalino had surgery on his jaw and trachea less than three weeks ago. "He had throat cancer six years ago — it killed the bone," McConnell explained. "P-L-K. Peace, love, and kindness to everybody," Cwalino said.
Thousands showed up to Kiener Plaza for the tree lighting, highlighting the Red Kettle Campaign. The event was emceed by 5 On Your Side's Rene Knott.
In January, the Salvation Army is kicking off a new program to battle human trafficking. "A lot of folks don't realize that the State of Missouri is number four in all the states in the country that suffers from human trafficking," Maj. Adam Moore, Greater St. Louis Area Commander of the Salvation Army said.
The nonprofit has faced criticism in past years because of its perceived stance towards the LGBTQ community. "The Salvation Army is here to serve our most marginalized neighbors regardless of the color of their skin, what part of St. Louis they grew up in, how they might identify today or their sexual preference," Moore said. "The Salvation Army is here to meet the needs of suffering humanity."
If you'd like to donate or become a Salvation Army bell ringer, you can register online here.