Ringing a Bell For the Salvation Army

Well, I'm ringing a bell this year for the Salvation Army this holiday season.  It'll be the 5th year I've done it in the last 6.  It's not a great job but it;s better than nothing, it helps folks out this holiday season, and will hopefully put a few bucks in my pocket.  We start on the 22nd.

It's going to be really bad this year and I have to admit that I'm a bit concerned. Wal-Mart is only allowing the bellringers outside their stores for a few days this season instead of every day like they did when Target stopped allowed the kettles. (But yet, no one is reporting on that.  Hmmm...) That's a big chunk of change that the Salvation Army isn't going to get.  There's also five less days to rind as well this year.  Another big chunk gone. 

But yet the Charlotte Salvation Army has something like three times the number of children signed up this year over last for their Christmas gift program.  And they're still signing families up.  We do get some idiot bellringers who steal out of the kettles.  I wonder if they'll ever realize that they're stealing from little kids.

And yes, I do get paid. Have to admit that I've always been bothered by that as I wish I could do it for free but what money I do get really helps me out, gets me caught up on my medical bills, and gives me a bit of extra cash for the first few months of the new year.  We're lucky to get maybe 4 or 5 local volunteer groups on Saturday every week that'll handle 4 or 5 of those buckets.  Of course we have nearly a hundred every day for six days a week.  Without those who get paid, there really wouldn't be any kettles out there and no money would get raised.  Necessary evil I guess.

If you would like to stop by and say hello, most days I'll be at the Macy's at South Park Mall here in Charlotte.  I'll most likely be on the side towards Morrison Blvd on the back side of the mall.  Sounds like a rather poor location but I usually do fairly well out there.  If you feel like bringing by coffee, I won't complain. (Cream and sugar please.  Carmel shots would be a plus. ) Have to admit that I'm wondering how I'm going to eat for the first week or so.  Not sure if folks remember but I live off a very small check that I get at the beginning of the month.  I won't have any money for those first two weeks and, since I won't be doing any volunteering, I know I'm not going to be getting any food from them.  Not looking forward to it.

The Shirley Temple picture is from here.  I wanted to use this picture but there's a big old copyright on it with no permission to reuse. Oh well.  At the very least, I can link to it.