The ringing of The Salvation Army bell is not just a sound of a bell, it is the sound of help, hope, and comfort to our neighbors when they need it most during the holidays and beyond. The Salvation Army’s red kettle campaign began in 1891, but the tradition of ringing bells to draw attention to the red kettles started around 1900. The original kettle was started by Captain Joseph McFee to fund a Christmas dinner for the poor, and the bells were added nine years later by a teenage volunteer.
MPWC members volunteer to ring bells each year at Winn Dixie on 17. The first crew kicking off the season was Susan Hanline and Anne Bastress. Our outreach chair, Jackie Maneval, was on site making sure it was ‘all systems go’. Within minutes, the first donator showed up. Thank you also to Diane Dearth, Kimberly LaPorte, Cindy Triay, Cheryl Smith, Sandy Waldrup and Bobbe Marion who will work the bells on Thursday and Friday of this week.