I don't want this to be a political discussion about the Salvation Army, and stores that won't let them in front. Just a question, I don't want to make Rick to quote me if the mods have to shut this one down

With the bell ringers in front of stores the wife and I were talking, I had always assumed the ringers were volunteers, she thought someone told her they were paid... So who is right? (Nothing riding on it, just figured someone on here would know.)

 

volunteers in our town not sure elsewhere.

 

Volunteers,

Give it a try one year, you sure learn a lot about people.

 

everywhere i've been it's volunteers. and it's true you will learn alot about other people if you do it. sometimes it isn't always for the better......

 

But Top ya aint supposed to ring the bell with 7.62 rounds.. And you wondered why they all ran away.

 

Some habits die hard Hoorah!

 

Volunteers. I did it for a couple of years before I retired. Actually enjoyed it. I know,,, a lot of the people doing it look like they just crawled out of rehab or appear to be strange but for the most part (around here at least) they are normal people donating a little time to raise money for a good cause.
The money is used for (from their site):disaster relief services, day care centers, summer camps, holiday assistance, services for the aging, AIDS education and residential services, medical facilities, shelters for battered women and children, family and career counseling, vocational training, correction services, and substance abuse rehabilitation. More than 30 million a year are aided in some form by services provided by The Salvation Army.
Yeah, like everything, they have had a few bad apples working for them but overall have a pretty good record of getting the money to where it is supposed to go.
PS: Proper bell ringing in America should be done with a .223

 

ohhhh......I should have used a pistol! I thought RING THEIR BELL meant...oh well try next year I guess.

I volunteered a few years back with my artic tracker dogs (cute and furry Malamute and Samoyed) got a lot more pleasant change that way. Before I had on sunglasses and not a smile. nametag of H. Keller. got a LOT of irate potential donors thinking that was mockery......ahhh truth.

Salvation Army makes up little bags for convicts in prisons. some candy, a card of cheer, toiletries and a small bible verse book. It reaches out to the ones forgotten or wouldn't ask. As a former prison guard who is NOT a liberal, this was a very good thing to happen. and nobody rips off Salvation Army stuff from them. some of them even make themselves presentable, and that is worth a few loose coins now, isn't it?! I am very much in favor of the services given by Salvation Army. very one to one personal; no religion beaten over head....think of America's own missionary. truly.

Heidi, stumbling off soap box

 

Thanks for the answers, and I agree, although I have never volunteered with them, more people should give to help money, and more important, satisfying, and enriching, give your time to help those that need it

 

The SA is the only group that gets my money for charity.

MikeyB

 

you really SHOULD take your kids to ring the bells.

your kids need to see how "sheeple" the public really is

it's an awesome educataional opportunity for you & your kids to bond.
we took a boom box & played carols.

folks playing instruments do good.


our military unit volunteered, but some folks from SA group homes came & relieved us at the end of our shift.

 

The Salvation Army here locally does staff some of the kettles with paid folks from their shelters. They can't always get volunteers to fill all the shifts.

 

Here in the Atlantic City area of New Jersey. The homeless folks get paid to ring the bell.

 

Years ago, in Seattle, I knew someone that was a paid bell ringer, and got fired, not sure what the story was on that one. But I think she was a couple of fruit loops short of a full bowl.
IMHO the SA does great work. Wonder if there will be a kugerand in one of the kettles again this year.