Category Archives: GENERAL INTEREST

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My Experience as a Salvation Army Bell Ringer (Part 1 of 3)

How I Came to Be a Bell Ringer

-1993-

My family of six didn’t have much money and no money for Christmas. I went to the local Salvation Army before Thanksgiving with my three year old son in tow. I found the office and asked to speak with the captain. He gave us audience.

I sat my son on my lap and said what was on my mind. I asked if they paid the bell ringers. “Yes,” he said, “we do.” I said that I was interested. He hired me on the spot. He said I looked clear eyed. I went to a training, which was interesting with all the little details like never to touch the money when it spills over on the lid and doesn’t go in the slot. We were instructed to ask someone else to put the money in or use something else, like a pencil, to nudge it in.

Working as a Bell Ringer

I worked as bell ringer, starting the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve: Two weeks in front of Target and two weeks inside the mall. People talked with me. I saw old friends. Little kids excitedly put money in the kettle. I’d chat with them or their parents. The children made it fun.

Hot Cocoa hits the Spot

One cold blustery day someone bought a hot chocolate inside Target and brought it out to me. It was a nice surprise and I was grateful. I remember how good it tasted, how it warmed me up, and how I appreciated someone caring about me standing out in the cold. On occasion, I do the same for bell ringers on a freezing day. I’ll chat with them about bell ringing after I hand them a steaming cocoa.

Every day I brought a swatch of carpet with me for standing on the cold concrete for the eight hours. It helped to soften the impact and made standing there not so brutal during the long hours on unforgiving concrete. Bell Ringers were told they could bring a square of carpet for that purpose. Nothing is quite so tedious as standing in one place for hours at a time. Your legs get tired and cold. Time goes incredibly slow. You want someone to talk to you to help the time pass more quickly.

I earned $600 total, which helped us get through the holidays.

What Can You Do?

You can smile at the bell ringers. Greet them with a “Merry Christmas.” Chat with them if you can spare the time. Remember some of the kettle workers are on hard times. You can cheer them up and make their day. It’s tedious work, but chatting sure makes time go by faster.

That’s one Christmas I’ll never forget.

More next post.

. . .

UNLEASH THE WRITER WITHIN: The Essential Writers’ Companion by Cecil Murphey (TKA DISTRIBUTION, 2015)

FOR WRITERS ONLY

DEAR CECIL MURPHEY:  YOU ROCK IT!  I’m a struggling writer intent on shaping my writing to conform to industry standards. I have learned a lot in the process. That part’s all good. This endeavor to write it right, though, has created an ever-growing angst in me.  Along the way in my effort to be well-written I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time in rewriting, editing, and altering my manuscripts.  It’s cost me my enthusiasm. I’ve lost some of my inner sparkle, freedom to express, heart speak, lively outlook, and below-the-surface passion of my writer within. I noticed the creep and wondered what was wrong with me and why freshness had left my writing. Dullness set in. Inner conflict developed. I doubted self. Unleash The Writer Within brings clarity to the underlying issues. Now I have insights. I can see what’s gone wrong, what’s been lost, and what I need to do to get my writer within out of this rut. Your insightful instruction along with giving me permission to be me allows me to sing my own tune. Fear is part my problem. I’ve been afraid on many fronts. My inner critic thrives, alive and well. More often than not it tells me to get out of the heat and to stop trying so hard. For too long I have remained stuck without any way out.  This voice of mine is sensitive to the fear of being misunderstood by my target audience. I’ve been too intimidated to speak with boldness on areas dearest to me. I’ve not been sure if I could take the heat or defend my statements properly. I so identify with your book’s subject matter. You help me see the big picture. Thank you for this generous and enlightening gift.  By allowing yourself to be stretched, vulnerable, and honest with your story, you empower other writers to unleash their own authentic voices. I appreciate how you drill down until key elements expose the essence of credibility for the author community. Thank you for writing Unleash The Writer Within. You offer a great service to writers, and you offer hope to me in my own writing journey. Grateful,  Norma L. Brumbaugh