Scholastic News Kids Press Corps Blog: The Salvation Army Volunteers

The Salvation Army Volunteers

This Kid Reporter takes a turn as a bell ringing Santa.

I see volunteer bell ringers dressed in red aprons and Santa Claus hats wherever I go during the holiday season. I recently met with two of these bell ringers and found out they are everyday people just like you and me. They are volunteers for the Salvation Army and they donate their time because they know that they are doing it for a good cause and are helping citizens of their communities.

I rang a bell myself recently with Salvation Army volunteers Roger Green and Eric Lawrence at a store near Atlanta, Georgia. I could feel the frigid winds biting into my skin, but at the same time I could feel the joy of seeing people one after another putting their money into the kettle.

Now I know what a bell ringer feels when they are on the job of ringing bells to make people aware of the Salvation Army and its promise “Doing the Most Good.”

Because the economy is currently in a recession, many more donations are needed to provide food, clothing, and cash for families in need. Although most of the work of the Salvation Army is done by adults, I found out that kids can contribute too!

A great way for us to help is to set up virtual kettles on the Salvation Army website. That way we don’t have to stand out in the freezing cold to collect money. With a virtual kettle, you can email relatives and friends to fill up your “kettle” online. The money automatically goes to the Salvation Army.

Next time when you see a bell ringer in front a store and hear the loud and clear ring of a bell, pitch a donation into the bright red kettle. Any coin will help!

And tell the Salvation Army Santa, "Thank You!" for his or her hard work out in the cold! They can use the encouragement.

“Sometimes it is embarrassing when my fingers are so numb that the bell drops on the ground,” Mr. Green told me. “I overcome the hardships by knowing that I am doing my duty.”

—Andrew Liang