Since she was about 10 years old, JaNiya Jones, 18, has spent her winter holidays volunteering to ring bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign.
Bell ringing is a tradition for Jones and Mariah Malone, 15, who volunteered with a group from the Longview Disciples 4-H Club to ring bells Friday at the Walmart Supercenter in Starkville. The two girls remember volunteering together as kids, singing carols together in an attempt to encourage more donations.
Getting to greet people and see so many smiling faces during the holidays makes volunteering fulfilling, Jones told The Dispatch Friday.
“If you don’t have anything to do … no matter what age you are or whether you have a job or not, if you just have spare time, giving back is one of the best things that you could do,” she said.
The Salvation Army branches in Starkville and Columbus kicked off this year’s campaign Friday, hoping to raise a combined $200,000 during the next month.
LaShaunda Bobbett, the Starkville branch’s Christmas Red Kettle coordinator, told The Dispatch Wednesday that the campaign will last through Dec. 24, with ringers stationed outside the Walmart Supercenter, Kroger and Walmart Neighborhood Market.
Starkville’s bell ringers raised $20,000 in 2023, according to documentation from the service center. This year their goal is even higher, with volunteers aiming to collect at least $50,000 from shoppers and pedestrians by the time the drive ends, Bobbett said.
“(Bell ringers) just need to smile and speak to everyone. When you’re out there ringing you want to have positive vibes. Have a conversation, just try to recognize every person that comes by,” said Bobbett.
Bobbett said the money raised goes toward emergency funds for locals in need. She said the Salvation Army has used that money throughout the year to help residents pay their electricity and water bills, if they are having trouble keeping up.
That said, the Starkville branch has its limits. Bobbett is still looking for more volunteers, who can sign up by contacting her at (662) 312-4709 or [email protected]. She’ll be out ringing herself, alongside 32 groups and nine individuals.
“Getting more volunteers has been a bit of a struggle this year,” Bobbett said. “We always need more people to stand out there and ring. As far as the funds go, we won’t know until it’s time for people to start donating. Right now we’re just trying to recruit more volunteers.”
Oktibbeha County Chief Deputy Damien Robinson, who rang bells with other first responders during Friday’s kickoff, has been volunteering to ring bells for the last five years. It’s a good way for anyone to give back to the community, he said.
“Coming out here to ring a bell is a small action (compared to) something like Salvation Army, which actually goes out to help people,” Robinson told The Dispatch. “Give something. It may be a little bit of something, it may be the last of what you have, but just to put a smile on a child’s face that doesn’t have anything … or just to buy simple groceries – it helps out a lot.”
Columbus shoots for $150K
The Columbus branch of the Salvation Army fell short of its $73,000 goal in 2022, but managed to barely meet its $100,000 goal in 2023, Lt. Jason Houser, the branch’s corps officer, told The Dispatch. This year it’s set its sights even higher, aiming to raise $150,000 by Dec. 23.
Houser said funds raised during the Christmas campaign fuel Salvation Army efforts for the entire year, including the 50 to 60 bags of groceries it gives each week to families in need.
“We don’t waste any resources,” he said. “…If I know something’s about to expire, I go find people to give it to. …Feeding and power bills and rent, I’ve found that’s the number one priority since I’ve been here. It’s to help those (people) stay in their homes and be fed, especially houses with children.”
Ringers will solicit donations at 11 different locations in Columbus, including Walmart, Old Navy and both Sunflower locations. Houser was optimistic about hitting the goal, given how much support Salvation Army has gotten from Columbus residents looking to volunteer.
“When you go out there and you see the kindness of Americans, you see … the joy and you see the love, it kind of restores part of your heart,” he said. “A lot of people think that nobody cares about other people anymore, and everyone is selfish. But when you’re out there bell ringing and you watch someone run back to their car to grab a couple bucks and run back to give it to you, you’re like, ‘They just went out of their way to do this. Humanity is awesome.’”
The Columbus and Starkville branches will also be running their Angel Tree programs this year, which connects families in need with donations of holiday gifts. Rachel Davis, who began volunteering to ring bells four years ago, said the donations collected through December will serve community members in several ways.
“Donate because it’s for a good cause,” she said. “(Salvation Army) helps the Angel Tree program. They help give people food who don’t have food. They help pay people’s light bills. There’s a lot of different things that help the community.”
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
