4 Fun Reasons to Ring the Bell for the Salvation Army of Kalamazoo

The season is upon us: The Salvation Army of Kalamazoo is looking for volunteers to give two hours of their time ringing the bell collecting donations with their iconic red kettles. All of the money raised helps provide holiday assistance, utility assistance, emergency food and youth and senior programs.

Here are four fun reasons you should call 269-743-0834 or sign up online at registertoring.com to volunteer this year:

1) It's an open invitation to sing Christmas carols in public — judgment free. You pretty much can pass the time as you choose. Singing "Deck the Halls" and "Frosty the Snowman" with a little percussion from their signature bell will make the time fly by and just might inspire extra donations.

2) It's a prime opportunity to see the community's kindness. The everyday bustle can make it easy to forget how open and kind people really are. Standing next to the kettle for a couple hours will really illustrate how generous and kind our community is, from passersby thanking you or wishing you a Merry Christmas to seeing the donations themselves.

3) It can be a new tradition. Whether you volunteer with your children, other family members, your friends or your coworkers, this is something you can easily build into an annual tradition. It's meaningful — and you can still go out for wine or hot chocolate afterward!

4) You can add a little holiday pizzaz to the volunteer apron within minutes. Anything to get a smile from busy shoppers and potential donors, right? Whether it be a Santa hat you already have at home or something fun you found that the Salvation Army thrift store, accessories or a costume can spark conversation and attract a little more attention.

Of course, you don't HAVE to dress up to volunteer. All you need is the time and the willingness. To get started, all you need to do is call 269-743-0834 or visit registertoring.com.

Development Director Tim Summers Discussing the Red Kettle Campaign