NEWS

Ring in the Season

Reporting By: Ryan Reszel

Videography By: Chelsea Prochnow

The sound of ringing bells echoes the streets of Madison, announcing the arrival of the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign this Holiday Season. The tradition bell ringing and collecting funds to help local families in need dates back over one hundred years.  Ruth Ann Schoer, Dane County Director of the Salvation Army, explained that although the Salvation Army has a strong presence here in

Wisconsin that the organization started across the country on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.  Schoer said, “Bell ringing got started in the wharfs in San Francisco in 1891. There was incredible poverty in the San Francisco area and the officers there decided they would put out great big cauldrons and ask for contributions or food to help feed the hungry.”

By 1899, the Salvation Army had spread across the country establishing branches the major cities in the Midwest, like Madison.  As the organization’s efforts grew, so too did the annual tradition of bell ringing.

This year there are 93 red kettles stationed around the Madison area.  Madison resident Rodney Fraher said he rings bells at least three times each winter.  Fraher said, “It’s a lot more fun than it looks like…standing out here just idly ringing a bell. You get to talk to a lot of people and make some friends.”

Schoer agrees that bell ringers can have a lot of fun and really get into the holiday spirit. “We have people who dress up at the kettles. We have musicians come and play. People come and sing at the kettles. They’ll bring candy canes or candy bars or something to give out at the kettles.”

The Salvation Army has already collected 43 thousand dollars and the organization is well on its way to reaching the goal of 1.5 million dollars.  This money will fund Salvation Army programs throughout the year, but Schoer said “I feel like as a volunteer I get more out of it than I give. I get this great sense of well being that I have just done something good. I’ve given a piece of myself to someone else who is not as fortunate as I am.”

f you would like to ring bells for the salvation army you can sign up at www.ringbells.org