10 REASONS YOU SHOULD RING THE BELL
published December 2016
1. It's fun! This is a great way to celebrate the holiday season. You get to be right in the midst of the holiday bustle. Get creative - dress up, sing songs, bring your friends!
2. You'll spread Christmas cheer. The Red Kettle bell is an iconic sound of the season. You'll put people in the Christmas spirit! If you're up for it, you can even use the time to check caroling off your list of festivities.
3. You'll be part of changing lives. The Salvation Army of McAllen provides food, clothing, shelter and other social services to those in need. Last year The Salvation Army served more than 75,055 hot meals; assisted over 16,042 Hidalgo County residents with social service; provided 13,299 unduplicated nights of lodging through our Emergency Shelter; gifted 2,092 children with toys through our Angel Tree Program; and cooked 107,896 bowls of soup for refugees.
4. The money you raise directly impacts your community. All donations made in Hidalgo County stay in Hidalgo County. By helping raise funds through a Red Kettle, you're a neighbor helping neighbors. Encourage "Red Kettle Days" for your business, civic organization, church or neighborhood and make a difference in the lives of real people in our community!
5. It's easy! No experience required. With as little as four hours of your time and the wonderful support from participating stores, you can be part of our Salvation Army Bell Ringing Team! You can be an individual volunteer bell ringer or a group that volunteers any day, Monday through Saturday between 10AM-8PM, starting November 12 through December 24. For those who cannot commit to a whole day of bell ringing, half day shifts are allowed as long as they start at 10AM or end at 8PM. Locations include Sam's Club, Walmart, Walgreens, Bealls, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, JCPenney, and some La Plaza Mall entrances (food court, main entrance, Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's).
6. It's the perfect opportunity to wear a tacky Christmas sweater. After hanging in your closet all year, it's time for the annual debut. Dressing up makes bell ringing more fun, and might get some extra smiles out of Christmas shoppers.
7. "Make new friends, and keep the old." You'll get to meet lots of new people as you invite them to donate to your red kettle. Add to the fun by asking friends and family to ring a bell with you. You can even make it a new tradition!
8. Channel your competitive side. For you goal-oriented types, it's easy to see how your work is paying off as your Red Kettle fills up! See how many people you can convince to give to your Red Kettle.
9. Take advantage of the cool winter air! It doesn't stick around for long. Dust off those winter coats and sip on some cider or hot cocoa.
10. Be part of a legacy. The Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign has been a Christmas tradition since 1891. Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee set out a kettle to raise funds to feed the hungry in San Francisco. Now Red Kettles can be found all over the world in places like Japan, Chile and countries in Europe.
Sign up Today to be a Bell Ringer!
If you are interested in volunteering as a bell ringer, please call us at 956.682.1468
or email: eloise.montemayor@uss.salvationarmy.org.
We invite you to partner with us in helping others. For more information about our programs and/or partnership opportunities, please call us at 956.682.1468. We are located at 1600 N. 23rd St. McAllen, TX 78501. To give a monetary donation, you may send a check payable to The Salvation Army of Hidalgo County to the following address: PO Box 4766, McAllen, TX 78502. Thank you!