ORLANDO, Fla. – During this time of year, you may hear the sound of bells ringing when you walk into your local grocery store. Well, that’s the sound of The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign.
It’s an annual tradition to try and raise money for the organization to help with feeding and housing programs as well as natural disasters.
The Rotary Club Orlando has been getting results for the campaign for 104 years.
President Chris Whitney has spent the week ringing bells along with other Rotary members at the Publix on South Orange Avenue.
“Our club alone and our service has raised over $100,000 standing in front of bells, you know, representing and it’s so cool because when you’re involved with something like Rotary. The badge says it all,” Whitney said.
This is The Salvation Army’s 133rd annual Red Kettle Campaign and funds raised last year supported services for nearly 24 million people in the U.S.
“It’s a great feeling and so often people will come up and tell us a story about how The Salvation Army or Rotary affected their lives. We have old people come up and say, ‘yeah, I was a Rotary scholar and I just want to give something back,’ thank you, or somebody that was in a very tough time and they weathered the storm with one of these organizations. You know it’s a couple of bucks of change out of your pocket,” Whitney said.
Whitney explained The Rotary Club Orlando is the largest and oldest Rotary Club in the Central Florida area.
“We are very happy to be part of that,” Whitney said.
The Salvation Army Orlando Area Command is home to the World’s Largest Salvation Army Red Kettle.
The large kettle will be out at ICON Park Friday, Dec. 9, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the Captains Donation Rotation Activation.
Capt. Ken Chapman is set to ride The Wheel at ICON park for four hours in an effort to raise funds for the Red Kettle Campaign.
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