I created a simple module to put text in the side bar. In order to do this, you need to create Main.php and somename.tpl.
Examples of my files are here: (deleted)
Paths in the X-cart installation are root/classes/XLite/Module/XC/yourmodulename/main.php and root/skins/default/en/modules/XC/yourmodulename/somename.tpl
Icon.png is in the same directory as main.php but it isn't showing up in the installed modules list.
This will give you a module that will place text or links etc. in the sidebar. I want to figure out how to make it so that I can chose the order that the module appears in the sidebar.
Hope this helps.
EDIT: I created a module that can add things to your sidebar. It is at
http://fileshare.ninja/142997rh/sidebar-links-module.zip