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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Thursday, December 6, 2007 12:09 AM CST
Mattoon Rotary, Kiwanis bellringers to battle for Salvation Army donations

By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com

MATTOON — Maybe they’ll call it “Clash of the Captains Clubs” when the bells start ringing Saturday morning for Salvation Army.

Whatever the name of the service club challenge between Mattoon Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, the effort is being taken very seriously at the Salvation Army office on Richmond Avenue at 13th Street.

“I’m with Rotary and my wife is with Kiwanis so we’re going to see who can bring in the most donations between the service clubs Saturday at Wal-Mart,” said Salvation Army Captain Bill Holman. “This Saturday is for our service clubs and next weekend we’ll have the churches ringing bells.”

Mattoon Exchange Club members will also grab bells by the red kettles Saturday. But you don’t necessarily have to be in a club or affiliated with a church to help ring bells for Salvation Army, Holman said. Paid bell ringers are also hired to help with the effort as well.

“If you can bring together a group of friends or neighbors you could ring all day during the weekend. Married couples can help out; or a parent and child can ring together as a way of giving back to the community,” the captain said.

Call 234-3915 to volunteer for bell ringing or other ways to help the campaign. Volunteer ringers can help during different time slots from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until Christmas Eve.

Ringers are needed to draw in donations as the Bell Ringing Campaign for Coles and Cumberland counties approaches its final weeks. The donations were behind by $11,000 Saturday from the same point during 2006.

“We know times are tough, but we need some donors to step up. And we need some volunteers, too,” Holman said.

Donations to Salvation Army are used to help area needy families or individuals throughout the year. The assistance provides food and monetary aid for utilities and medicine, emergency help as well as other necessities. Money raised through the red kettles is a major fundraiser for many Salvation Army organizations.

The service club challenge will have both captains working to draw donors. Captain Bill said he will be playing music.

“I’ll be playing my horn, but I’m not sure if we want all the Rotarians singing. They might try humming songs,” he said.

Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.

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