Answering the BELL
While the closing of both Kmart and Friedman's in Butler have affected the Salvation Army's local Christmas campaign, the bell ringers are off to a good start.
Valerie Hazeldine, who shares commanding officer duties with her husband, Daniel, said the Salvation Army in Butler has set a goal of raising $100,000 by Christmas Eve, through their familiar Red Kettle campaign.
The goal could be hindered by the closing of the two businesses, but Rural King at the Clearview Mall in Center Township has agreed to allow a kettle and its accompanying bell-ringing volunteer at the store's entrance.
“The loss of Kmart and Friedman's has eaten into the number of stores we have to stand at considerably,” Hazeldine said. “We're lucky we got Rural King.”
She said last year's goal of $100,000 was exceeded by about $150.
“We were very happy with that,” Hazeldine said.
Another problem faced by the Salvation Army in this year's campaign is a shortage of ringers to staff the kettles.
Hazeldine said about six volunteers are available now. But many groups like Rotary, schools or businesses volunteer on the weekend.
She said some ringers are paid minimum wage.
“We try to keep those to a minimum because obviously it eats into the donations,” Hazeldine said.
She said ringers staff the kettles from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at various sites around the county. The ringers get breaks to warm up or use the bathroom during their shifts.
“And if it's extremely cold, the breaks are more frequent,” Hazeldine said.
Hazeldine has noticed that larger bills appeared in kettles more often when she began her 20 years of experience in the Red Kettle campaign.
“When I first started we got more bigger bills, but now we get very few,” she said. “Sometimes we get a few fives.”
She said dollar bills and change are the most frequent deposits into the kettles.After each shift, Salvation Army personnel drive to all the sites and collect the kettles to put in a safe overnight.The next day a group of volunteers straightens and sorts the bills and dumps the change into one of two coin counting machines at the Salvation Army.“When they break down we have to do it by hand, and that's difficult,” Hazeldine said.She said the campaign started on Nov. 7 and will run every day but Sunday until Dec. 23.The money collected from the kettles represents the Butler Salvation Army's budget for the year.That budget pays for a soup kitchen, a September backpack program, youth after-school programs, needs at the food pantry, senior outreach and other programs.“This is why the goal is so high, because what we get is what we have for the rest of the year,” Hazeldine said. “The more we get, the more we do.”The Salvation Army's Treasures for Children program spends about $150 per child for Christmas presents. About 1,000 children are signed up this year, she said.“That's a record,” Hazeldine said. “It takes a lot of coordination and effort.”Hazeldine asks that those passing a kettle drop in a little cash to help with the worthy programs that occur in the county year-round.“Every little bit counts,” she said. “If you've got a little change, we would appreciate putting it in because it will help those in the community who need a little assistance, not just at this time of year, but the rest of the year as well.”Hazeldine has every confidence that the Salvation Army Red Kettle goal will be met, as so many generous folks live in Butler County.“It's a lot of hard work and we couldn't do it without our volunteers and staff and the wonderful people of the town,” she said. “It makes Christmas that much more special.”
