Ringing the Bell

So, a few weeks back before Mass, the deacon pointed out the Salvation Army bell ringer volunteer sign up sheets and requested all who were interested to sign up and to put down shift preferences. I understood that they would call and tell everyone who signed up when and where to show up, so I wrote down the date but I had to wait for the rest.

About 7 am this morning I realized that no one had ever called us and told us where to be and when! No one is in the church office on Saturday and the Priests aren't usually up on all the detail stuff anymore (too few priests and too many parishioners to care for). So, since I had to take Matt to a swim tournament anyway, I made a pass through Canandaigua looking for bells and buckets. Nada. Zip. Nothing. At 9 am there was not a single red aproned ding-a-linger to be found. Sigh. So, I went home and picked up, Gillian, my favorite partner in crime, and we went to the YMCA. When we were leaving I remembered that one year we had rung the bell at the old IGA store. It's sort of off the beaten path, so I hardly even think about the place. So, we aimed our car that way just to check.

Sure enough there was a fella and his son from our parish ringing away!

Fortunately for me, these people were better informed then I was, and they told me we were scheduled to be right there (there were 7 different locations around town) in an hour to take over for them!

Gillian and I fled back into town and found the dollar tree where we were able to purchase reindeer antlers. (What's a morning ringing the bell if you don't get a little festive?). We tried repeatedly to call Ben's cell and the house phone to wake up the 2 big boys to come join us, but they slumbered on, so it was just me and the girly.

There may be more fun ways to help out a worthy charity during the holidays, but I can't think of one off hand. People smile and laugh when they see our antlers (you know, we could NOT find the flashing Rudolph noses this year!) and when they hear some of the first Christmas greetings of the year. It's wonderful to share some time with your child while doing something worthwhile!

So, if you haven't ever given bell ringing a try, call up your local Salvation Army and ask when and where you can volunteer for an hour or so. Take your kid with you and together you can be witnesses to the true meaning of Christmas!

P.S. GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY!