That Familiar Ring In The Air
Volunteers sign up on Saturday morning for their opportunity to ring the bell for the Salvation Army.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – A quick walk into one of your local shopping establishments from now until Christmas will more than likely be filled with that familiar holiday sound of ringing bells.
The Salvation Army of Mahaska County started its annual bell-ringing this Saturday with a kick-off ceremony held at the VFW. There, volunteers signed up for times to ring the bell, with coffee and other treats provided by Bank Iowa.
Oskaloosa Firefighter Dan Hoy spoke about the Salvation Army and how it impacted him during his time with the Army National Guard and as a firefighter.
Hoy recounted the many hot meals served by the Salvation Army while he and the soldiers under his command worked to reinforce and build the levee near the Bridgeview Center in Ottumwa in 2008. They also worked at building a dike around the Water Works.
Hoy and those in his platoon worked for over 70 hours “non-stop”. While they were able to function on MRE’s and water, “It’s not the greatest thing,” says Hoy. Within the first 18 hours, Hoy said that the Salvation Army had a food trailer set in place “where my guys could get hot coffee and hot food. There was always a crock-pot of something.”
“That meant a great deal to my guys,” said Hoy.
Jerry Morrison is the area coordinator for Mahaska County Salvation Army. He also welcomed those in attendance and talked about how to sign up for hours to volunteer to ring the bell.
Some of what the Mahaska County Salvation Army did with funds raised during the past year was to help with rent for individuals, utilities – like gas and electricity, and water for those who were in need.
Transient families were aided by motel rooms, in the event their car broke down, and also individuals who needed bus fair to continue their journey home.
The local Salvation Army of Mahaska County has a goal of raising $35,000 this holiday season. “We know that Mahaska County can easily generate $44,000, because we did that two years ago.”
Last year, the Salvation Army of Mahaska County did have one of its familiar red kettles stolen. Approximately $90 was taken from the kettle, which was destroyed by the perpetrator. The perpetrator was found guilty of the crime and ordered to pay $10 to the Salvation Army. The replacement kettle rang in at $45, and came from the charity’s own pocket.
If you would like to sign up to ring the bell, you are welcome to call, 641.660.0173, because as Morrison explained, every hour it’s manned, “we’re looking at 40 to 50 dollars coming in usually.”
You can also give to the ‘Red Kettle’ virtually by visiting the following link.
