December 4, 2013 at 4:44 p.m.
Ringing in the holiday spirit: Salvation Army volunteers busy collecting donations
Ringing in the holiday spirit: Salvation Army volunteers busy collecting donations
This year, volunteers are collecting in front of three Rhinelander establishments, Trig's, Walmart and Shopko.
Emily Olsen said she decided to volunteer to ring a bell this year on a whim.
"I've always looked at bell ringers and wondered what kind of people they are," she said. "This year, I was at my church one day and they were handing out fliers looking for bell ringers. I thought that I should have had it on my bucket list a lot earlier, so I decided to go ahead and do it this year."
The holiday tradition is made up of more than just bell ringers though. Someone has to organize the volunteers' shifts. This year, that responsibility belongs to Kim Swisher, who's in charge of the Walmart and Trig's locations, and Jan Leschke, who organizes the Shopko location.
Swisher said she got involved because she saw a need.
"While working at the School District of Rhinelander, I saw the need that children and families have in our community," she said. "I was compelled to help and learned that the Rhinelander Salvation Army serves people in crisis situations, providing emergency assistance with housing, medical services and transportation. These basic services are often taken for granted and I had no idea of the number of people in our community who are truly struggling to just get by."
Last year, the organization had a goal to raise $36,000 locally, but fell short, coming in just shy of $30,000. This year, they're hoping to match or exceed their original goal.
Jim Perlberg volunteered to be a bell ringer with his wife, Shirley. The pair worked a shift Monday afternoon in front of Shopko. They said it was important to them to spend some time volunteering.
"We're retired and we have the time," Jim Perlberg said. "We have a feeling for people and this organization is very good, so we wanted to volunteer to ring the bells. I think Christmas is an important time to give back. This time of year, it comes down to people helping people, and that's important."
Leschke said people feel comfortable volunteering for the Salvation Army because of its reputation.
"It's such a good organization," she said. "86 cents of every dollar stays right here, and the other 14 cents goes to disaster relief and other important national projects. The CEO of the organization only makes a very small salary, and that's very good to know. So often, some of these organizations collecting money have CEO's that make millions, so the money isn't always going where you think it's going. The Salvation Army isn't like that, and that's important to people."
Leschke has been involved with the organization for a long time and said the presence of the bell ringers is a special image around the holidays. She said she's had some special conversations with people stopping to donate.
"Many will tell stories about their fathers who were in the service and the Salvation Army gave them things they needed when they came off the battlefield," she said. "One man told me that he remembered that his father was in World War II and the Salvation Army gave his mother two bikes to the family for Christmas. You hear so many heart-warming stories."
Swisher said the money raised by the bell ringers makes a real impact on the community. In 2010, the organization served around 80 families. The next year, that rose to over 90. Last year though, over 250 families were served.
"The need has grown tremendously over the past three years," Swisher said. "Families and individuals facing crisis situations are not always visible. The Rhinelander Salvation Army helps those in need throughout the year and can only continue to help through community donations. Bell ringers and the generosity of the community make this possible."
More than 100 shifts have already been filled, but many remain open and both Swisher and Leschke are looking for more volunteers. Leschke said the people who volunteer rarely regret it.
"The bell ringers are people who feel the way I do," she said. "It's a good organization that is important to people in the area. The comments we get from people who donate are really heart-warming and good. There are always a few open spots and sometimes people will sign up, but can't end up making it, so it's always good to have a waiting list of people. We always have a few open spots we're trying to fill."
To volunteer at the Shopko location, call Leschke at (715) 362-7157. For a shift at either the Trig's or Walmart locations, visit oneidawi.volunteerfirst.org.
Olsen said she's glad she decided to join the ranks of the familiar Salvation Army bell ringers.
"It's cold but it's fun," she said. "It's neat to see so many people giving back and the ones who have done it before stop by and talk for awhile."
While Olsen rang her bell Tuesday evening in front of Trig's, it started snowing big white flakes.
"It's Christmas and the fact that it's snowing just adds to the whole atmosphere," she said. "It feels good to be doing this. Christmas is my favorite time of year, so this if fun to be a part of and to contribute to that Christmas atmosphere."
Andy Hildebrand may be reached at [email protected].
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