As if on cue, November 15 provided a crisp backdrop to the morning’s Red Kettle Season Kickoff, and dozens from the community showed up outside Belk to take the opportunity to drop in the first donations of the Christmas season.
The Vance County High School chorus provided several seasonal and inspirational selections for the Salvation Army kickoff event to add an air of excitement and joy to the chilly morning’s festivities.
Whether you’re someone who hauls out the holly and puts up the tree before Thanksgiving or you’re one of those die-hards who prefers to wait until December to think about Christmas plans, you’re likely to run across a few Red Kettles and bell ringers during the next 40 days.
Alongside the iconic Salvation Army symbol of giving, the bell ringers invite shoppers to donate during the holiday season to help provide food and gifts to seniors and children across Vance County and the surrounding counties it serves.
Kettle donations “help us provide clothing and toys for children at Christmas time,” said Maj. Beth Mallard. But more than 200 senior adults also have signed up to receive food baskets, Mallard said Friday, and the funds are used to feed more than 500 people each month, all year long.
“When you walk by, make sure you drop something in the bucket,” she said.
The kettles ignite a spirit of generosity in our community, said Margier White, chair of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce board. “Each bell that rings this season (is) not just signalling a donation,” White said, “it’s a connection that we make with people who are in need.
Placing any donation – coins or bills – represents love, kindness and community support, she said.
The Salvation Army kettle is “more than just a container – it represents hope for families facing hardships.”
Call Mallard at 252.438.7107 if you’d like information about volunteering to be a bell ringer during the holiday season. You, your church or civic group can also sponsor a kettle, or participate in the Angel Tree project at https://www.tsamm.org/angeltree.