Bright red kettles. Bundled bell ringers exhaling smoky plumes of breath. And bells – shiny golden bells clenched in mitten-clad hands.
Is there anyone who doesn’t remember the excitement of hearing those bells for the first time each Christmas season? Anyone who didn’t experience a small thrill when mom or dad would slip them a quarter to drop into the kettle?
For many children, the Salvation Army’s annual kettle drives have been their first lesson on giving to others – an appropriate reminder during a season when both children and adults are often more absorbed with getting.
And this season, once again, the kettles and their accompanying bell-ringers have appeared in front of some of the Lakes Region’s stores.
Windham resident Peter Hill, 79, of Hemon Cobb Road, is one of the Salvation Army bell-ringers who mans the kettle at Shaw’s Supermarket in Windham. For the past three years Hill has logged in many hours, this year averaging 20 to 25 hours per week between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“I feel privileged and I think I can help out,” Hill said. “I can’t give much money, but I can give my time.”
As he sits by the kettle, ringing a special bell he brings from home, many people stop, not only to drop in their money, but also to give him a word of encouragement or to tell a joke.
Hill jokes right back at them, always with a twinkle in his eye. But he takes his volunteer work seriously. With obvious respect for the organization, he recalls being over in Italy during the war, remembering that “the Salvation Army was right there.”
As he watches people drop their coins and bills into the kettle, Hill says people tell him they like to give because “they know where the money’s going.”
And in this area, the money goes to the Westbrook Salvation Army where most of it is spent on presents for needy families. After a percentage is used to cover the organization’s expenses, the rest goes to food, fuel, clothing, emergency medical assistance and transportation.
Now in their second year at the Westbrook facility located on Lincoln Street, Capt. Frank Nataluk and his wife Melissa, assisted by volunteers, organize the toyshop, located in warehouse space donated by area businessman Tim Flannery.
Beginning Nov. 1 up until Dec. 9, people are invited to fill out applications to receive toys and potentially to be adopted by a company. According to Melissa, R.J. Grondin, White Brothers, Anthem/Blue Cross, Disability RMS, and Chadwick-BaRoss Inc. adopt a number of families through them each year.
Families who submit applications later are less likely to be adopted but can come in to pick out toys for their children – three new toys and a few stocking stuffers per child – and may also select additional items from a group of used toys and coats.
Last year, the Salvation Army supplied between 120 and 130 families with toys. This year, the number will be at least 150 families.
But what does the stress of the staggering amount of work during this season do for the Nataluk family?
“I don’t think anything can prepare you for this,” Melissa said. “Even at training school you’re not experiencing the emotion behind it.”
Last year, the Nataluk’s three children were excited to make the move from Canton, Maine, their home for the past six years, to Westbrook in order to be a part of this ministry. They worked hard alongside their parents.
“This year,” Melissa said, “the newness has worn off.”
The family tries to keep things as normal as possible. Although they grab a lot of fast food during the week this time of year, they make time for home cooked dinners around the table during the weekends.
But, according to the Nataluks, what sustains them is the belief that they have been called to do this work instead of attempting to accomplish it on their own strength.
And, with different agencies in the country reporting that collections are down this season, how do they accomplish the daunting task of raising money – especially following catastrophes, like Katrina, that caused people to dig so deeply in response?
“I feel God’s going to be faithful as long as we are faithful,” Frank said. “We can’t make people give – we have no control over what they give.”
With a local goal of $50,000, as of a week ago, the Army was just shy of $33,000 but, said Frank, “the final week is always the best.”
Though the Westbrook organization has never paid their bell-ringers, Frank thinks next year they will begin to pay some of them to ensure enough help. Although he resisted the idea initially, he realizes that by paying them, the Army is helping people who need the work.
But, for Peter Hill, certainly one of Nataluk’s most enthusiastic ringers, the experience of bell ringing for the Salvation Army is something not to be missed.
“The Salvation Army can use all the volunteers they can get,” Hill said. “Tell them it’s a joy to do it.”
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