Salvation Army—

Holiday Bell Ringers For A Year-Round Mission

By John Voket

Like the popular holiday song goes: “Bells will be ringing…” And if enough volunteers come to the aid of Newtown’s modest Salvation Army unit, those bells will be ringing all over town during the next two weekends.

Army Unit Chairman Barbara Bigham said she is not too worried about a recent move by Target Stores to prevent the Salvation Army from soliciting donations at the retail giant’s locations. Here in Newtown, there are plenty of locations available for the unit’s annual two-weekend-long bell ringing campaign, but not enough ringers to fill all the shifts at all the locations.

This issue does have Ms Bigham concerned because in the past year requests for assistance right here in Newtown have doubled.

“We had been averaging about $1,000 per month in various forms of assistance for several years. But in 2004, our average monthly requests have topped $2,000,” she said. “That either means we’re going to have to bring in more money, or cut back on assistance.”

And the latter option is something the local unit’s board just is not prepared to do.

That core group — Ms Bigham, unit treasurer Sylvia Poulin, Marie Sturdevant, and Carol Mattegat — will be joined by several dozen returning volunteers, who will all be stationed with their familiar red pots and jingling bells throughout the community on December 10, 11, 17, and 18.

With the growing number of Newtown residents who need modest financial assistance, or who tap reserves at the Salvation Army food pantry located in the Newtown Social Services office, this year may be the most critical for the cheerful and familiar bell ringers.

“We’re all set to have volunteers stationed at the Stop & Shop, Bagel Delite Deli, Dunkin’ Donuts, the Pizza Palace, Yankee Discount Wines & Liquors, CVS, and Lexington Gardens,” she said. “The only places in town that don’t allow us by company policy are Big Y and Starbucks. But those companies give back to the communities through their own charitable donation programs.”

Ms Bigham said that since there are so many alternate locations, losing one or two in town should not have much impact on their overall campaign.

“If Big Y was the only place in town it would make a difference, and Big Y makes so many other donations to so many local community groups that we couldn’t possibly hold it against them. Besides, it’s their companywide policy, not just here in Newtown,” she said.

Some residents may be surprised that a community like Newtown would support its own Salvation Army unit. Unlike major urban communities that have large Army offices supporting dozens of programs and thousands of service recipients, local chapter volunteers only meet bimonthly, and exist almost exclusively to support Newtown’s neighbors who may occasionally need a hand up, not a hand out.

Unit treasurer Sylvia Poulin explained that ten percent of all funds collected through Newtown bell ringers and direct mail solicitations go to support the regional Salvation Army initiatives and administration. The rest of the funds collected stay local.

“My husband and I have been involved with the Salvation Army since we moved to Newtown,” Ms Poulin said. “I was always involved in volunteering, but once we got settled here, I was attracted to this group because so much of the money collected goes right back to our own community.”

According to Ms Bigham, Sylvia’s meticulous record keeping helps the local unit maximize every dollar, indeed every penny.

“The organization keeps extremely close tabs on the money we spend,” Ms Poulin said. “I am subject to monthly audits so the Army can be sure that every penny is spent where it’s supposed to be spent.”

Ms Bigham said that last year, the local Salvation Army unit took in exactly $10,361.13 —$3,187.38 from community mail appeals and $7,173.75 from the holiday bell ringers. In turn, the unit distributed $10,337.56, leaving only $23.57 to be carried over.

This year, unit leaders know that $3,346 will be coming to their coffers through direct mail campaigns. But if they do not raise at least another $16,000 through the two-weekend bell ringing campaign, a number of local residents, many with young children, will suffer to some degree.

Besides operating one of two local food pantries, the Salvation Army provides most of its assistance to individuals and families beset by personal, health, or financial situations.

“Besides funding purchases beyond the items donated for the food pantry, we also provide energy assistance for heat and electricity, we help purchase medical or home health supplies and equipment,” Ms Bigham said.

Ms Poulin said the chapter depends on key community partners to help these efforts.

“I can’t speak highly enough about our helpers, particularly Holcomb Fuel and the Newtown Drug Center,” she said. “When we ask, they deliver immediately and deal with the payments later. And without the donations collected by the Newtown Postal workers during their annual food drive each May, we’d be forced to allocate a lot more donated money towards purchasing food.”

And what about money to compensate unit personnel?

“I’ve had people approach me assuming that we got paid for our work, but in Newtown, we are a 100 percent volunteer cause,” Ms Bigham said.

She further clarified that except for urban unit commanders who are virtually on call 24/7, the modest pay designated for employees and bell ringers is typically the only type of regular income many of these workers have.

“Those jobs are for the needy, too,” Ms Bigham said. “By paying some people for their work, we are helping to keep them off complete public support.”

Although the local group has only sent a few children to the Salvation Army camp in Ashford over the past few years, the local chapter still keeps the camp options open for both young and older people who may benefit from a brief stay in the country.

“We do support the camp, which has programming for children and seniors,” she said. “We’d like to see more seniors take advantage of the program. It really provides a wonderful reasonably-priced vacation for those on a budget,” she said.

The only nonlocal individuals who may benefit from local contributions are occasional travelers whose cars break down in town. On several occasions, the Salvation Army has helped these travelers on their way with a modest stipend to cover a necessary car repair.

The local chapter is also nondenominational, Ms Bigham said.

“We include everyone in our local Salvation Army activities,” she said. “Unlike some of the larger urban centers, we don not have a religious component.”

And it is a family atmosphere among local volunteers. Ms Poulin said none of the local chapter’s work could be done without the help members get from the home front.

“Marie [Sturdevant] and I have co-chaired the bell-ringers program for over 15 years, but we couldn’t do it without the support from our husbands and family,” Ms Poulin said. “They take phone calls for us, get out the buckets, and help carry them back when they’re loaded with change.”

Anyone interested in volunteering for a one-hour bell ringer shift at one of the Newtown locations is asked to contact Ms Bigham at 426-5718, or Ms Sturdevant at 426-8118.