Linda Cearfoss of Butler stands in front of the Friedman's store on Route 8 south, ringing a hand bell continuously.

By sounding the bell, Cearfoss hails midday shoppers - alerting them to the red donation kettle nearby.

"We need a bigger slot, huh?" she says to an elderly gentleman,

who needs extra time to deposit a

handful of coins into the kettle's opening.

"Some people will give you a couple pennies. Some will give nickels, dimes or quarters - as much as they can give," she said, remarking even those who seem to be neediest strive to contribute.

"We've been busy today," she added, explaining donations were probably up due to the arrival of Social Security checks.

Now in her fifth year of ringing bells during the Salvation Army's annual fund drive, Cearfoss predicted the trend would continue

over the following two days,

when welfare and disability checks were also due to arrive.

But generosity isn't limited to those who fill the kettles. The ringers volunteer their time - often enduring high winds and sub-zero temperatures during the two-month kettle drive.

"They're generally out from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.," said Maj. Robert Carney of the Salvation Army in Butler. "They put in about 10-hour days, six days a week. This is sometimes what folks don't understand out there: that these folks put in a long day to try to help."

With reasons ranging from "It's something to do" to "The Salvation Army helped me when I needed it," bell ringers like Cearfoss say despite the long hours and sometimes brutal weather, they find their work rewarding.

Even the sound of the bell, which many ringers say they begin to hear in their sleep at night, was described by Cearfoss as "Christmassy."

"It's not too bad as long as the wind (doesn't) blow," said Mark Welch, confessing to being bundled up in three sweatshirts, two T-shirts, two coats and three pairs of socks recently while ringing at the Shop 'N Save in Lyndora.

"But it doesn't matter how many pairs of socks you've got on," he added, explaining there's no way to warm your feet while standing for that many hours.

"It gets windy and cold," said Merle Peth, also of Butler, who was ringing recently near Kmart. "There are good days and bad days. I feel sorry for the people at the top of the hill, with no shelter."

"When it's cold, it's hard," echoed George Benedetti, who frequently is stationed at the Sears store at Clearview Mall. "You have to keep your focus and remember you're trying to do good for the community."

"Some of the store employees are wonderful," Benedetti added. "They bring you hot coffee. One (kettle donor) asked, 'Do you want me to go get you some hot chocolate?' It just made my day.

"When I say 'thank you,' most of them say 'thank you' right back. It makes the whole thing worthwhile," he said

Even though the kettle season normally begins the week of Thanksgiving, Carney said this year's campaign began even earlier.

"We've had a cash flow experience this year that's been kind of bad, so we started early to generate a little extra income," he said, explaining donations were down - probably due to people's response to recent flooding.

"To operate the Salvation Army is over a half million dollars a year," Carney said. "Money comes from the United Way and through individual donors that give us checks monthly through mail appeals. Then, we do get some government funding."

Carney said the kettle income averages more than $50,000 annually, but the current total is down about $14,000 for this time of year.

Ringers also seem to be lacking in number. "Usually (we have) 10 or 12," he said. "We can always use about 16. But that's a difficult billet to fill.

"I'd like to see companies give me a call and say, 'Major, our staff will man a kettle for you for a whole day on such a date.' It would mean so much for companies to do that. We would put signs out advertising (the company names). Perhaps there would be a company that would like to challenge another company. … Coming up with the workers is the hard thing."

Compounding the problem, Carney said the need for aid seems to be rising.

"It's a new group of people coming to all of us agencies, not only the Salvation Army, for assistance," he explained. "It goes back to being underemployed or unemployed. It's people who have never had to use the system before. And our big job is to help them maintain their pride."

Carney said kettle proceeds are used to pay for food, utilities, medicine and other items for Butler County families in need.

"When people see the kettle out there, please remember: A dollar will not break you, but a dollar may make it for someone else."

To volunteer or contribute to the Salvation Army's kettle drive, continuing through Dec. 24, call Carney at 724-287-5532.