Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army invites volunteers to ‘Register to Ring’
Ever pass the delightful volunteers who raise funds for The Salvation Army and wish you could ring the bell a few times, too? Now’s your chance.
This Christmas season, The Salvation Army of Midland and Odessa is inviting community members to “Register to Ring” in support of the organization’s famous Red Kettle Campaign.
Volunteers can offer an hour of their time or an entire day to help raise funds. Volunteers can “ring” as individuals or a group. You can also be a virtual ringer and ask your family and friends to contribute to an online fundraiser.
The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign’s origins date back to 1891, when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee aimed to provide a free Christmas dinner for poverty-stricken people in San Francisco. To raise funds, McFee took inspiration from his sailor days in Liverpool, England, where a “Simpson’s Pot” placed at Stage Landing, where boats came in, accepted coins from passersby to donate to the poor. The next day, the captain placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street, alongside a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.”
McFee “soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas,” according to The Salvation Army.
Another way to support The Salvation Army of Midlandt his holiday season:
Rather leave the bell-ringing to others? Here’s another way to contribute to The Salvation Army that will help local families: The Angel Tree program of Midland.
The program helps families in need by providing new clothing and toys to cover over 1,000 children each year. This past Friday, the program got a boost thanks to employees at Endeavor who donated more than $8,000. The Salvation Army’s Founder and Owner Autry Stephens matched that amount dollar for dollar, raising over $16,000 to purchase essentials and wish list items for 40 kids in 16 local families. Check out a great video about that effort here.
Your gift to this registry will bring joy to a local child. To donate to the registry, go here.
