Mark Baldridge looks on as girls give money to the red kettle set up at the Franklin Kroger on Dec. 6 during his annual shift for the Salvation Army of Johson County.
Leeann Doerflein | Daily Journal
With just over a week left in this year’s Red Kettle campaign, the Salvation Army of Johnson County needs help to meet its $140,000 fundraising goal.
The campaign is conducted each year during the holiday season, but the Salvation Army works for the community all year round, said Maj. Michael Thomas of the Salvation Army of Johnson County.
In addition to their normal mission that includes providing food and utility assistance, this year the local Salvation Army has had the additional task of aiding survivors of the Whiteland tornado. This task is ongoing as there are still several families who are in temporary housing while their homes are rebuilt, Thomas said.
“We’re not just a Christmas organization. We’re here throughout the year, whatever the need may be,” he said.
While helping out, local volunteers learned the full extent of what the tornado took from people. It wasn’t just the four walls of their homes and their furniture and electronics, but also their precious memories. What’s most valuable is the loss of things like photographs, family heirlooms and handmade Christmas decorations, Thomas said.
It’s about more than financial help, as the local group took to their Facebook page to try to round up decorations to help make spirits brighter for Whiteland families who have already lost so much.
Volunteers with the local group and the Indianapolis-based Salvation Army of Central Indiana are always on call to help with smaller-scale disasters as well. For example, volunteers help with the immediate needs of families who’ve experienced a fire and bring hot or cold drinks to help firefighters, Thomas said.
As of Wednesday, the local chapter is at about 58% of its goal, after raising money since right after Thanksgiving. To help meet the goal, Thomas is hoping people will be inspired to donate and to help fundraise by signing up to ring the bell.
Volunteering is as simple as going online to registertoring.com and signing up for a two-hour shift. People can take longer shifts if they wish or ring on multiple days, Thomas said.
“Coming into this last few days before Christmas, we’d love to get people out there to help bring that bell,” Thomas said. “It’s so important and I can’t overemphasize the significance of our Red Kettle and our bell-ringing effort.”
For many volunteers like Franklin resident Mark Baldridge ringing the bell is a tradition.
“My daughter, when she was in fifth grade, her class challenged her to do something for Christmas in the community, so we rang together. She’s now 22, so I have been doing it ever since,” Baldridge said. “I do it for one shift each year. As a family, we are always trying to do one what we call ‘gift of Jesus of service’ each year and this is mine.”
Seeing the breadth of people willing to give back to the cause is inspiring to Baldridge, he said.
“It’s just the people that come in and give money,” Baldridge said. “Some of them you think ‘you need that more than this bucket does,’ but they still do it. I love seeing people do that.”
Giving back is just as easy as signing up, Thomas said. Signs to donate digitally with TipTap are now posted at each Red Kettle station. This allows people who aren’t carrying cash but feel inspired to give to simply scan the QR code with their smartphone camera to give $5, $10 or $20 easily.
When people give to the Salvation Army, they give to a Christian organization that puts in work for the community. Donors can rest assured that the money given will go back into the community for people in need, Thomas said.
“It’s nice to have the recognition at Christmas at this time because of the Red Kettle efforts and the iconic shield. People perceive it but a lot of people don’t know what’s behind the shield,” Thomas said. “What’s behind the shield is — we use the phrase ‘heart to God and hand to man’ — but I like to take that a step further and say that the Salvation Army is ‘Christianity with its sleeves rolled up.’ Because of the love we have for God, we want to serve our communities.”
Red Kettle Campaign
Where to find a red kettle in Johnson County
Donations to the Red Kettle Campaign can be given at the following locations or online at donate.salvationarmyindiana.org/.
- Bargersville – Horizon Bank
- Franklin – Hobby Lobby, Kroger, Walmart
- Greenwood – Kroger, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Rural King, three locations at Greenwood Park Mall.
How to volunteer
People can sign up for a shift online at registertoring.com People can volunteer anytime between now and Dec. 23 and help is needed to ring the bell in Johnson County all across Central Indiana. Volunteers can sign up for a minimum of two hours.
