![\"Volunteer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/STT-L-SALVATIONARMY-1206-01.jpg\")
Volunteer for the Salvation Army David Yoder rings his bell as Lori Gergats, of Dickson City, gives him change outside of Walmart in Dickson City Thursday, December 4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\nThe first real chill of the holiday season settled over the area last week, but bell ringers for the Salvation Army\u2019s Red Kettle Campaign provided a spirit of warmth and generosity at several locations throughout the area.<\/p>\n
Patrick Dietz, chairman of the Salvation Army of Scranton Advisory Board, said he was amazed by the bell ringers as a child.<\/p>\n
Volunteer for the Salvation Army David Yoder rings his bell as Lori Gergats, of Dickson City, gives him change outside of Walmart in Dickson City Thursday, December 4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n
The act of donating just a dollar was fun because it was surrounded with all the color and sounds of the seasons.<\/p>\n
Now, as an adult, he loves seeing families making their way to the kettle with a small donation. Children often ask if they can be the one to put that dollar in the kettle, always followed by a big smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like seeing the looks on little children\u2019s faces when they donate,\u201d Dietz said. \u201cThey absolutely look forward to it. It\u2019s truly part of the holiday season.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are other acts of generosity that also touch Dietz\u2019s heart, including finding a $20 or $100 bill among the donations.<\/p>\n
The bell ringing effort is a major fundraiser for the organization and helps to support the organization\u2019s food giveaway and utility-assistance efforts.<\/p>\n
In an economic environment where many families are challenged to meet their basic needs, every donation is appreciated.<\/p>\n
![\"Volunteer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/STT-L-SALVATIONARMY-1206-03.jpg\")
Volunteer with The Salvation Army and consumer with the Arc of Northeastern Pennsylvania Amanda Lewis, of Dickson City, rings her bell for donations at the entrance of The Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton Thursday, December 4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very important that when you see a bell ringer, you may consider giving them at least a dollar,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Dietz, who has been ringing a bell and accepting donations for about 15 years, said it\u2019s his way of welcoming the holiday season.<\/p>\n
Giving back to the community<\/p>\n
Ty Holmes, of the Scranton Rotary Club, said the bell-ringing effort is a chance to give back to the community consistent with their motto of \u201cService above Self.\u201d<\/p>\n
For at least five years, Rotarians have volunteered two or three days during every season, no matter how cold the temperatures.<\/p>\n
Holmes especially appreciates one family that volunteers to ring the bell every year, as an opportunity to show their children how important it is to help others.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity to talk to kids about what\u2019s really important,\u201d Holmes said. \u201cIt\u2019s a win\/win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Generosity and importance of community are lessons that should be learned when children are young, he said.<\/p>\n
Volunteers say participation always lifts their spirits and prepares them for the holiday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always a positive experience,\u201d Holmes said. \u201cPeople are glad to see them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if he had any advice for those volunteering, Holmes had only one suggestion.<\/p>\n
\u201cDress warm,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Rotary Club collaborates with the Salvation Army not just during the holidays but throughout the year, Holmes said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity to partner with an organization which shares our values and desire to help others,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Century-old tradition<\/p>\n
The iconic Salvation Army red kettle campaign goes back more than 130 years to 1891, when Captain Joseph McFee, a Salvation Army officer, was looking for a way to cover the cost of the community Christmas meal in San Francisco.<\/p>\n
Recalling his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England, he recreated the \u201cSimpson\u2019s Pot,\u201d an iron pot where charitable donations were placed by passersby.<\/p>\n
By 1895 the \u201ckettle\u201d was used by 30 locations along the west coast, and by 1897 the effort went nationwide.<\/p>\n
Individual Salvation Army organizations use funds raised for local community needs.<\/p>\n
In 2024, during a 28-day Christmas season, the effort raised almost $100 million nationwide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The first real chill of the holiday season settled over the area last week, but bell ringers for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":54953,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[201,182,139,28,178,180,179],"class_list":{"0":"post-54952","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-scranton","8":"tag-lackawanna-county","9":"tag-local-news","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-pennsylvania","12":"tag-scranton","13":"tag-scranton-headlines","14":"tag-scranton-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54952"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54952\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}