Salvation Army Overrun With Bell-Ringer Applicants

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The Salvation Army in Grand Junction, Colo., says it has received 150 applications for 30 jobs that pay $8 an hour and often are filled by disabled residents or the homeless. KUSA-TV's Chris Vanderveen reports.

If you are not familiar as to how I got started with the Salvation Army, allow me a moment to explain. Last year I received word that Mr. Kenny Townsend, (convicted of stealing from the Wicomico County Landfill) was actually out ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. This was done through the Wicomico Detention Center Work Release Program.

I, (like many of you) was outraged. Here was a guy who had just participated in a huge theft scheme being paid to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. The reason for such was simply based on the fact that the Salvation Army could not get enough volunteers to help them with their campaign.

I knew that if I had exposed this on Salisbury News there was a good chance Warden Devanins would pull the plug on ANY Work Release people, so I committed to filling ALL of their spaces, should the Warden pull such a stunt. Well, that's exactly what happened. The Warden immediately eliminated ALL of their people from ringing the bells and I chose to fulfill my commitment and I started ringing the bells.

I then reached out through Salisbury News, (after learning they had a ton of open slots) and YOU came to the rescue. Last year you were able to volunteer so much that every location was filled and the local Salvation Army raised more money then they had ever raised in any given year than in the past 50 years. It was a glorious year and I was so fortunate to meet so many of you and put faces to so many names I hadn't seen before.

By volunteering, this allows that much more money to go towards helping the needy this year. Even if it's an hour, we need your help.

If you'd like to volunteer for a slot at any of the above locations please, send your request to ringabell4tsa@verizon.net or call Kettle Campaign Headquarters 410-749-RING (7464). Thank you, to all that have so generously volunteered their time to this worthwhile campaign.