Where Spare Change Multiplies

The Salvation Army’s long-standing tradition of ringing bells for the smallest of donations is not only their biggest fundraiser of the year, funding many of their programs, it is also a way for some bell ringers to earn that little extra they need to carry them over through the season.

The tradition, now called the Red Kettle Campaign, actually started with a black kettle and one man’s desire to feed his neighbors more than 100 years ago in 1891. Joseph McPhee, a Salvation Army officer in San Francisco, wanted to give everyone a Christmas dinner. He eventually raised enough money to feed 1,000 people. The success of that first fundraising event sparked a domino effect among Salvation Army locations throughout the nation, and presently throughout the world as well, explained Christy Markham, director of development and marketing for The Salvation Army.

“It’s our most important, highest grossing fundraiser for our programs,” Markham said. “Each Salvation Army operates within their own community and the dollars stay local – everything (in Coeur d’Alene) – 100 percent – goes to community outreach programs.”

In Kootenai County, the Red Kettle Campaign took hold around 2007, when the Kroc Center was built. The money raised goes to five main programs, and the number of people it benefits reaches the thousands.

Some money funds the Kroc’s scholarship programs. “We don’t cap that,” Markham said. “Anyone who qualifies gets it.” About 10 percent of Kroc members are on scholarship. The money also helps send 70 middle school students to a week-long summer camp, and it goes to those who need the attention the most.

The Kroc’s Clothe a Child program gives children money to buy new clothes. “It takes more than the kettle money, but each child gets $100 worth of clothes from JCPenney,” she said.

And their emergency assistance provides about 40 families with whatever their needs are, be it rent or food assistance. Lastly, in Kootenai County, the money goes to the Kroc’s Families Feeding Families event where food is donated and families can go home and make Thanksgiving dinner.

None of this could be possible without the work of the bell ringers – those caring souls who stand day and night, in the cold or bad weather, collecting others’ spare change donations.

“With volunteers, it’s win-win. Most say how rewarding it is. Some bring their children to teach them about charity,” Markham said. “They leave with the holiday spirit knowing that they’ve helped someone.”

And that holiday spirit comes from working collectively among neighbors to help neighbors.

“If you’re like me and give $20 at a time (to a particular charity), but if (you) can wrangle six volunteers, at two hours apiece, it could mean raising $600 together, much more than on (your) own,” Markham said.

All those kettle donations last year raised just more than $201,000, and the goal for this holiday season is $210,000.

“Our head office in Seattle looks to make $1 per person which would mean $144,000 in Kootenai County, so we have a generous county,” Markham said.

While some bell ringers are volunteers, many benefit from the five-week campaign itself as a source of income. But all ring a bell in the spirit of Christmas. Husband and wife Tom and Paula Carlson are two of those seasonal workers who use the job as a supplement to their incomes, but moreover, it’s the spirit of giving to others that keeps them coming back year after year.

Paula started working as a bell ringer ten years ago, and Tom nine. Paula was influenced by friends and later inspired Tom to do the same.

“I became one because I wanted to give back. It makes you feel so good,” Paula said.

For Tom, a health scare made him rethink his lifestyle.

“The first year was the winter after my quadruple bypass surgery and I wanted to give back to the community. I had been living the hustle and bustle of the nine to five world, which lead to my heart attack. Paula had been doing it, and I thought, ‘Why not?’” Tom said.

Both are retired and receive Social Security, but they also work part-time jobs during the year. Although they get paid from The Salvation Army, many times they donate their own money to the kettle. Tom’s literally given the coat off his back more than once to people who had nothing in the cold weather.

“Some slow days, I’ll add $5 or $10 to the kettle,” he said.

Being a bell ringer has taught him to look at people differently, and he said his experiences have lead him to return to church after 50 years. The generosity from people he’d least expect it from touched him, and he has several stories about people’s donations.

“You have to put away any judgment of anyone. Even if you see someone in a three-piece suit, maybe they wrote a check. I’ve seen a guy with tattoos reach into his pockets and contribute what he had. It’s amazingly beautiful,” Tom said.

Likewise, he has stories where he has been the inspiration.

“Two years ago, there was a little girl about 10 years old with a mayonnaise jar with change. She said, ‘I saw you out here last year and asked why you were ringing the bell.’ Her mother told her I was collecting for poor kids. She had done extra jobs to collect that change,” he said.

He and Paula are happy to make their contribution to The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign. While they work separately, they have collected in front of Safeway on Fourth Street, Shopko, Kmart, Fred Meyer and Black Sheep.

“I don’t care if you put a penny, a nickel, whatever. Putting something in the kettle helps someone less fortunate than yourself,” Paula said.

“We just like doing our part for the goal that The Salvation Army puts out,” Tom said. “The important thing is that bell ringing is to help people in our own area, Coeur d’Alene. It’s all local and not overseas. There’s people in northern Idaho that need help.”

For more information about The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign or to volunteer, go to kroccenter.org.

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