When Himani Sharma walked into the local Salvation Army office earlier this fall to sign up as a bell-ringer for this year’s kettle campaign, she planned to donate three hours of her time each day.
But Sharma, a four-year veteran of the kettle campaign’s volunteer army, was asked to give more. Facing a significant shortage of bell-ringers this year, Crawford County Salvation Army officials asked her to donate more of her time if she could. She was quick to oblige.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, for the duration of this year’s fundraising campaign, Sharma can be found inside Meadowbrook Mall gladly — and proudly — serving her community. Five hours a day, five days a week, for five weeks — smiling the whole time.
“I like to serve our community,” she said. “I love our community. God made us to help each other.”
Capt. Gary Gugala, first-year director of the local Salvation Army, said the organization needs more people like Sharma. Three weeks after announcing that more bell-ringers are needed to help reach the $55,000 goal, Gugala said Friday that the shortage remains. To help make up for the lack of volunteers, Gugala said he is asking those who are serving to give more than they may have originally planned.
“If everyone invested eight hours instead of just one hour or two, then we have a shot,” he said.
But asking volunteers to spend more time at their post will not completely solve the problem, Gugala said. The number of bell-ringers must increase, he said, even if that means straying a bit from the all-volunteer concept.
“The desire to do this all with volunteers puts a lot of pressure on us at the Salvation Army,” he said. “I am still trying to follow that course. However, there are just too many needs in the county and too much at stake to do it with just volunteers.”
Gugala said the Salvation Army is working to develop a program that would lead to essentially hiring people to be bell-ringers. If the spirit of giving back won’t bring people out, he’s hoping that some cash incentives might. The elderly, in particular, are targeted in this program, Gugala said.
“We look at it as a type of social service program,” he said.
Gugala said there are already some people who have expressed interest in participating, and they are going through an orientation process. He hopes the incentive will lead not just to move volunteers, but also more reliable volunteers.
“We are having people volunteer but don’t show up,” he said. “When people don’t follow through, that creates enormous tensions.”
PITTSBURG —
