The Virginian-Pilot
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The Salvation Army in Hampton Roads says donations to this year’s red kettle and mail appeal campaign are down 20 percent.
The organization is making a push to raise more money in the campaign’s final days.
Last year’s campaign netted $297,000 for Hampton Roads between November and Christmas Eve, the Salvation Army said.
This Christmas season the group is helping 50,000 people, which it said is a 10 percent increase from last year. Programs helping people with rent and utilities could suffer, the Salvation Army said.
More information is available at the Salvation Army’s Web site here.
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Fact is...Attitude of Ringers Does Matter
The fact is that attitude does make a difference. A waitress gets about twice as much in tips, if she smiles & acts friendly, in spite of the occasional poor tippers. All the ringers I've seen this year, except for one, are standing there, barely ringing the bell, mumbling greetings that you can hardly hear, looking like they're ready to fall asleep. But one ringer at the Farm Fresh at Mt Pleasant and Centerville has been amazing for at least the last 3 years, and I'm sure he gets more donations than the bored ringers. He is always smiling, does a bit of a dance w/about 2 bells in each hand, has a friendly greeting when you go in and out, makes eye contact, and all this whether people give or not. And it makes me want to reward that behavior when I see him. He should be in charge of training all the other ringers...as long as we can still see his smiling face every Christmas. God Bless Him, whoever he is! Are you reading this Salvation Army?
Dancing Ringer
I hope you see this reply
You know it's funny that you mention this guy with two bells and dances about. I'm the Kettle Coordinator for a city in Texas and I've got a man just like that.
He holds two bells and dances around the whole time he is out there. He will toss the bells in the air and catch them and is very vocal at speaking to people to wish them a Merry Christmas. I'm going to have to ask him if he ever lived in Mt. Pleasant.
And yes to answer your question he does bring in a much better donation than the people that act like they don't want to be there. That is human nature to avoid crabby people and when you look board, you look crabby.
Unfortunately not all people willing to do this job and encourage people to be cheery.
GENERAL BOOTH AREA
Maybe someone from the Salvation Army should make some rounds and see why that is happening. Twice today I saw the red kettle along with the bell ringer and known homeless people. That makes people, myself included, not want to contribute due to the perception.
Unfortunately, due to a lack
Unfortunately, due to a lack of volunteers, the Salvation Army has had to pay people to staff its kettles for a long time. To my understanding, it's minimum wage, no benefits, but it IS some extra spending money for those who need it.
debit and atm cards
I don't ever carry cash or change anymore. I pay for everything with a debit card, it is much easier. I can't think of anyplace I go that doesn't take a debit card, heck even drive through McDonalds does now. My bank rewards me with a rebate for doing this, up to $10 a month. I know I am not the only one who does this and I am sure people asking for spare change feel this shift in habits in the amount of donations.
Depends on the greeting....
Normally I would be dropping a dollar or two at many pots during the season. But this year, the greetings are , "good evening" "have a nice evening" Happy Holidays". The only time this year so far I heard "merry Christmas" was during a trip through NC. If not a Christmas Greeting, there is no donation. Most of the bell ringers do not want to be there, look at there faces, listen to the tone of the voices. I am a Scrooge mostly but when I hear "Merry Christmas" I will respond. Just as Kerry Dougherty commented a few weeks back, nobody says Merry Christmas. I willfully say Merry Christmas to the clerks, attendants , and others I deal with through the day, - a surprise that only maybe 1 in 5 will reply Merry Christmas, usually it is "same to you" or "...and to you". So I know why I've turned into a Scrooge.
Simple solution for those
Simple solution for those who don't like what the bell ringers say? Volunteer for a day, and say whatever you darn well please. A winner both ways.
And btw, the SA is about as conservative theologically as any religious body can be. Personally, I know of no other Christian body that does even half what they do (and I'm not Christian).
oh nicholas
How can you claim to be a Scrooge and carry the same name as Santa Claus (St. Nicholas)? It's kind of depressing to read that you refuse to give to the Salvation Army just because they say 'happy holidays' and not 'Merry Christmas'. I assume you do that for either nationalistic (anti-liberalism - whatever you wanna all it, believe me, I'm not mad at ya!) or religious reasons, which is fine; but if for religious reasons, don't you think that's being somewhat contradictory to the meaning of Christmas? I'm like you, I was raised to say Merry Christmas, and I still do, but I don't shun those who say Happy Holidays. My brain simply translates it into "Merry Christmas" for me. Don't let good people suffer because of the idiot political changes in our country, for if Jesus had done that, we'd have never known the meaning of salvation...
Where are the red kettles?
I haven't even seen any this year. Of course I have not gone to the malls, but I have been to many other businesses and I have yet to see even one bell ringer this year.
Donate...It feels good!
Most anyone can drop a $5 bill into these kettles a couple of times and won't miss it. And you'd have to look awfully hard to find an organization that can stretch a dollar as far as the Salvation Army does.
Give every time you pass a kettle.