By Theresa Armstrong

Reporter

tarmstrong@gcnewsgazette.com

The Christmas bells of the Salvation Army rang this past weekend to kick off the holiday season at Walmart stores across the United States.

Walmart donated a million dollars to the national Salvation Army organization and as part the Bells Across America Campaign waged by the retailer the Salvation Army was invited to ring the bells at all local Walmarts on November 7 and 8.

“We collected just under $1,000 in the two days we rang the bells here locally,” said local Salvation Army Officer Tracy Dennison. “The red buckets will be put away until the shopping season officially starts on November 28.”

Dennison is asking for volunteers to sign up early to ring the bells for the Salvation Army.

"We are asking everyone to challenge their church, family and other organization to pick a day between now and Christmas Eve to ring the bell in support of the Salvation Army," added Dennison.

"Anyone can ring the bell, from the young to old," added Dennison. "If everyone works a two hour shift then a group of 12 can keep the bells ringing from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day."

The money collected from the holiday bell ringers is used throughout the year to help victims of fire and domestic violence as well as buying needed prescriptions or helping the elderly buy a tank of propane.

"The money generated by the local Salvation Army program stays in the county and helps serve 400 to 500 Grayson County children through the Angel Tree program and also provides an estimated $2500 each year to the Senior Citizens Christmas Program," said Dennison.

Over 200 seniors are provided with gift cards and other Christmas goodies. Needy children are provided the opportunity to attend camp in the summer and many other worthy causes are funded with the funds generated from holiday bell ringing.

"All these programs are possible with the generous donations of the citizens of Grayson County, but without bell ringers these donations can not be collected," said Dennison.

If any group would like to sign up to ring the bell please call Tracy Dennison at (270) 259-0043 or if interested people are unable to ring the bell and would like to make a donation to the local unit you can do so by sending a check to: Salvation Army 125 E. Market Street, Leitchfield, Kentucky 42754.