HomeMy WebLinkAboutRinger VolunteersOn a
mission
Salvation Army hopes
to ring in volunteers
By ARENA WELCH
Eagle Staff Writer
red bucket, a bell and a list of
"Bell Ringing Tips for Ding-a-
lings" are.. the only supplies
Capt. Gary Sturdivant gives his holi-
day troops as he deploys them
throughout the community.
Their mission: To spread a little
Christmas cheer v~hile raising
money to buy gifts for less-fortunate
children.
Stationed at about 151ocations in
the Bryan-College Station area, Sal-
vation Army bell ringers collected
about $96,000 last year, said Sturdi-
vant, the local commanding officer.
That number was up
from $71,000 in
kettle donations
in 2003.
Sturdivant
said the organ-
ization still is
reeling from
last year's deci-
sion by Target's
corporate office
stop all solicitation rrr
front of the company's stores. He has
a strategy to make up the $7,000 to
$9,000 in donations that used to come
from the College Station Target loca-
tion -increase the number of vol-
unteers to decrease the amount of
money spent to pay bell ringers.
In a perfect world, Sturdivant
said, all 15 locations would be staffed
by volunteers during the entire 30
days of fund-raising. But volunteers
don't always step forward, and some-
times the Salvation Army has to pay
individuals to ring the bell - a prac-
tice that Sturdivant said "defeats the
It's something he hopes he doesn't
have to do this year.
"We would just be thrilled to death
if we could cover every spot with a
volunteer," he said. "There are so
many different groups that could
Residents of Bryan and Col-
lege Station stepped up to the
plate during Hurricanes Kat-
rina and Rita by volunteering
and donating money and
resources, Sturdivant said.
He's asking them to reach out
one more time.
"ff the volunteers reach out
this Christmas like they did
during the [hurricane] disas-
ters, I'll never have to pay
another .bell ringer," he said.
The money raised during
the annual kettle drive, which
lasts from Nov. 25 to Dec. 24,
buys Christmas toys for chil-
dren who otherwise would
not receive a gift. The leftover
''-money is "stretched as far as
awe possibly can throughout
;the entire year," Sturdivant
laid, paying for rent, utilities,
gas vouchers, medications,
clothing and food for less-for-
Residents can sign up to
volunteer as a bell ringer by
calling 361-0618. Shifts can be
broken down from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. and from 4 to 10 p.m., or
volunteers can work an entire
eight-hour shift.
Those who donate during
the kettle drive can be sure
their money will be used to
benefit the less fortunate,
Sturdivant said.
"Most people know that the
Salvation Army is the most
trustworthy organization in
our country," he said. "They
know when they drop their
change or bills in that bucket
that the Salvation Army is
going to make sure someone
that is less fortunate is helped
with their dollars."
^ Arena Welch's a-mail address
is arena.welch@theeagle.com.
~_