Fill the buckets!

WASILLA — Every holiday season, the Salvation Army enlists numerous volunteers to ring bells to raise cash in their red kettles. This is actually the biggest fundraising event of the year. All of the money raised will stay within the Valley. According to Salvation Army Mat-Su area coordinator, Jeff Josephson, the donated funds will fuel the many arms of the group’s overall service to the community. Children and adults alike can be seen at various locations like Fred Meyer, ringing the their bell and saying, “Merry Christmas.”

“It’s an easy way to give back,” said Divida Pastorino, Boy Scout Den Leader for Webelo pack No. 370.

Pastorino was there with two of her boy scouts, Taylor and Vinny, both in the third grade. This was Taylor’s first year and Vinny’s third as an official bell ringer. They each took turns approaching people with bright-eyed, youthful energy, saying “Merry Christmas.” Christmas music was playing in the background on Pastorino’s iPhone. Each bell ringer shows up for a two-hour shift for however many days they sign up. A designated Salvation Army volunteer switches out the red kettles after every shift, so all any volunteer has to do is “show up.”

It’s even easier than ever now that you can enroll as a volunteer by simply applying online. There has been 360 hours clocked in from volunteer bell ringing so far in 2017. Josephson said the total number of volunteers is down this year. When Vinny found that out later, it struck him as disheartening.

“That’s sad,” Vinny said. “You would think there would be more. People should help out. It’s just a couple hours.”

Although man hours are down, spirits are up. The light of giving is still on. The Salvation Army uses the donated funds for many purposes, focusing on struggling families and individuals. Some highlights of its community services include rental and utility assistance and providing food for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Josephson said the assistance provided is to help people get through a rough time. In fact, he said that a bulk of the volunteer pool are people who received help from the Salvation Army previously. He’s seen a lot of people who got helped and then turn around to help others.

“We’re winning, were changing people’s lives. We get people on their feet and they teach their kids to stay on their feet. It’s this fantastic community that makes it possible,” Josephson said.

This is a transitional time for the Valley’s Salvation Army. The group recently moved to a new location, the yellow building off the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, just outside Palmer. There is still a lot in the works to get the new location to Josephson’s vision of a community hub. That is why donations are so vital.

“If they can’t volunteer, they can fill the buckets,” said LaMarr Anderson, a Salvation Army board member.

Josephson is looking forward to getting the new building up to speed to better serve the community. He said that the Valley is “so giving.” The Salvation Army is the current home for the Special Santa program, the Valley’s own toy drive.

“It’s gonna’ be amazing. People have no idea that those pennies going into the bucket are changing the lives of their community,” Josephson said.

To sign up as a Salvation Army volunteer, visit: volunteer.usawest.org