Ringing in the season

WASHINGTON - On a cold Saturday afternoon, the sound of bells ringing echoed across the Fareway parking lot.

Sunny Kan and Lori Adams were bundled up in winter clothes, face masks and aprons for the hour shift as bell ringers for the Salvation Army's holiday Red Kettle campaign.

Adams has been volunteering for 15 years. Her church volunteers, and she takes a shift each year, sometimes more. Kan's first time volunteering was in 2013 when he was a high school exchange student living with Adams.

'I went back to Pakistan for a few year, but I came back,” Kan said. He is now living with Adams again while he attends college at Cornell College.

Adams said the true meaning of Christmas is giving.

'Giving yourself is just as important as giving gifts,” she said.

Salvation Army captains in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City said donations and volunteers are both down overall this year, which they attribute to tighter household budgets and less foot traffic at the stores where the kettles are placed.

Iowa City has a $750,000 operating budget. Of that, its Christmas donation appeals typically raise $150,000, with the kettle campaign bringing in another $100,000. Last year at this time, the kettle campaign had raised about 44 percent of its goal, but this year, it's closer to 33 percent at this point.

Adams said people have been generous and have been receptive to seeing the pair out there.

Iowa City Capt. Keith Graham said the Salvation Army is short of bell ringers.

In-person shifts can run for two hours, and people can sign up online. Or they can choose to 'join the team” as an online bell ringer to raise funds, or donate directly on local Salvation Army websites.

Adams encourages people to make bell ringing a part of Christmas.

'It's a great tradition,” she said.