from staff
In 1891, a Salvation Army captain living in San Francisco was trying to figure out a way to bring Christmas to the poor individuals living in the city.
While he was in Liverpool, England during his days as a sailor, the captain remembered seeing a large kettle at the end of the dock where those who passed by tossed some change in the kettle to help the poor. After he remembered seeing this kettle that was being used to take donations, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee put a kettle at the Oakland Ferry Landing. Next to the pot he put a sign that said “Keep the Pot Boiling.”
After a while the kettle accumulated enough money for him to feed the poor at Christmas.
Now, nearly 120 years later, the Salvation Army continues to look for support from the public through the famous red kettles.
Each year hundreds of volunteers take time out of their busy holiday schedules to be a bell ringer. One group, The Rotary Club of Jacksonville, has been offering their volunteer services to the Salvation Army’s red kettle tradition.
“We’ve been doing this for at least 40-45 years,” said Miriam Funchess, executive director of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville. “About 40-50 members usually volunteer each year.”
Funchess added that different members volunteer each year, but there are some that continue to do it year after year. The Rotary Club of Jacksonville’s bell ringers are usually at Hemming Plaza and the Landing.
“In our club we raised over $16,000 this year,” said Funchess. “It’s a little higher than last year.”
The money came from Rotary members’ donations and the amount that was collected in the kettles.
After the Rotary members have volunteered their time to be a bell ringer, Funchess said that they are surprised by the people that donate money to the kettle.
“They are some of the poorest people that reach down in their pockets,” she said. “Some of the neediest people are the ones that put that money in (the kettle).
“It is usually a surprise to them.”
Each year a contest is held to see which club collected the most money. “We’ve been the main donors (from the red kettles) for over 25 years,” she said.
“We always get the bell ringing award.”
She added that the father of current Rotary Club of Jacksonville member Thomas Grimes was president of Rotary the first time they received the bell ringing award.
“We retained the bell ringing award since,” she said.