Time again for bells to ring

• Robens

Early bird volunteer Robert Robens, 50, got permission to ring bells for the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign Nov. 15 and 16 inside the Family Fresh Market entrance in River Falls. Not only did Robens start the annual campaign early, he worked two six-hour shifts. Salvation Army bell ringers generally work two hours at a time. Rubens explained his zeal by saying: “I’m between jobs, applying for work, and I decided to keep busy and get out to do some community service instead of staying at home and staring at the boob tube.” -- Photo by Phil Pfuehler

Talk about it

From now until Christmas, bell ringing volunteers for the Salvation Army will be out in force at Dick’s Fresh Market, Family Fresh Market and ShopKo in River Falls, and at Holiday and Nilssen’s Foods in Ellsworth.

Each year, Salvation Army organizer Ed Paulson can always rely on an army of energized volunteers from River Falls to Ellsworth numbering between 300 and 400--probably a fourth of whom are high school-age students, many coming from church confirmation classes and Scouts.

“We welcome help from a variety of organizations,” said Paulson, 70, who has managed Salvation Army fundraising in River Falls and Pierce County for more than two decades.

The Thanksgiving-to-Christmas Red Kettle campaign is the Salvation Army’s main revenue source.

About 85 percent of money raised in the River Falls area is used here.

Some, however, goes for disaster aid nationwide, such as the Hurricane Sandy relief efforts along the East Coast, or worldwide, such as for Haiti earthquake victims or Japanese tsunami victims after the nuclear power leaks.

For more please read the Nov. 28 print version of the Herald.

Tags: communities, wisconsin, food, money, health