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Bell Ringers Are Back for Holiday Season

Photo via flickr//Jim, the photographer

  Salvation Army bell-ringers return to sidewalks in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties on Friday, bringing with them a long-time holiday tradition. The search is on for said bell-ringers.

For more than a century, Pensacolians have dropped coins – and paper -- into Salvation Army red kettles during the holidays to support needy families. Capt. Bob Cornett is the Salvation Army’s commanding officer in Pensacola. He says the search is on for volunteers to spend time ringing bells at the red kettles, with a goal of $375,000.

“The best qualification is to have a heartbeat, be breathing, and be able to shake a bell,” laughed Cornett. “But seriously, if somebody has just a joy they want to share with the community, they can come and volunteer. It’s not a high-tech job, but you’ll have a ball doing it.”

Beginning Friday, 24 red kettles will be set out at locations across Escambia and Santa Rosa. On Black Friday -- the day after Thanksgiving that kicks off the holiday shopping season – the number of kettle venues will increase to 42.

“Right now, every weekday is open for volunteers. We do have some paid folks that we put out,” Cornett said. “And every weekend, of the weekends, we only have about five percent of the locations covered by volunteers.”

The Christmas kettles date back to 1891 in San Francisco, when Salvation Army captain Joseph McFee was searching for a way to provide a free Thanksgiving dinner for the area’s poor. McFee got the idea from a large pot in Liverpool, England, where passersby would toss in donations. By Christmas 1895, 30 Salvation Army corps on the West Coast were using the red Christmas kettles. From there, the idea spread east to Boston and New York.

Today in the US, the Salvation Army assists more than 4.5 million people during the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Community donations to the local Salvation Army support a number of programs for those in need in the EscaRosa region. Cornett says not just at Christmas, but year-round. Most recently, the Salvation Army provided help to victims of last April’s flooding in Pensacola.

“It sends kids to camp. It keeps the lights on for people, it feeds people throughout the year,” Cornett said. “It provides stability to families, it provides shelter for a 58-bed facility for those who have had addiction and trouble in life. It provides daycare and after-school care.”

For more information, visit salvationarmy.org or call 1-800-SalArmy.