The Salvation Army of Greater Rochester has officially kicked off its 2023 Red Kettle Campaign with close to 50 kettles appearing at retailers across Monroe County. The grand effort of this holiday tradition is much larger than meets the eye; nearly 6,000 volunteer hours go into keeping these kettles active through December 23.
There is an urgent, community-wide need for more volunteer red kettle ringers. Only 40% of the necessary positions have been filled as of this writing, meaning at least 300 more volunteers are needed to ring for two-hour shifts over the coming weeks.
Without the support of new or returning ringers, many kettles are left empty and in the corner of retail entrances including Greece Ridge Mall, Hobby Lobby, Tops Friendly Markets and JCPenney.
The result could negatively impact the work the Rochester Salvation Army does for those in need. All Red Kettle donations stay local to help provide shelter, support services, and emergency items to Monroe County families and individuals throughout the upcoming year.
“As the need for Salvation Army assistance continues to increase due to economic hardships, so has the need for bell ringing volunteers,” said Major Rick Starkey of The Salvation Army. “Just one shift makes a significant difference in each day’s donation total.”
Volunteers of all ages can ring at a red kettle as individuals or in small groups. They’re encouraged to sing carols, play instruments, or simply ring the provided red bell. Locations, dates and open timeslots can be found at http://registertoring.com or by calling 585-754-9918.
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