Salvation Army relies on volunteers during holiday season

Nathan Yarborough, a Salvation Army volunteer, rings the bell in his main spot on Franklin Street in front of Wells Fargo. This is Yarborough's first year volunteering for the organization, but he has enjoyed it so much that he plans on volunteering for years to come.

Since Nov. 18, Nathan Yarborough has stood outside Bank of America on Franklin Street every day except Sundays.

He is one of many Salvation Army bell ringers who stand beside the organization’s signature red kettles during the holiday season.

The Salvation Army, active in North Carolina since 1887, recruits these volunteers each year to help raise money for their programs, which provide a broad range of services for people in need.

Eighty-three cents of every dollar donated to the organization goes to its efforts, according to the Salvation Army website.

Those efforts include programs like Christmas groceries and toy assistance.

The North and South Carolina division of the Salvation Army has 30 locations for Christmas kettles in the Durham, Orange and Person counties, according to Tracey Bragg, volunteer coordinator for those counties.

Yarborough said his Christmas volunteering started after the Salvation Army first helped him.

“They helped me out years ago, so I decided to give back,” he said.

Each day he rings the bell from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“It’s hard, but as long as it’s for a worthy cause, it’s not hard,” Yarborough said.

Barbara Day, a UNC professor, and her husband Doug Day have volunteered as bell ringers for eight years and said they agree with the organization’s message.

“We believe in the cause,” Doug Day said.

The couple volunteers with other members from the local Kiwanis Club, a branch of a global philanthropic organization aimed to help children worldwide.

Doug Day, who is governor for the Kiwanis Carolinas District, said the organization sends volunteers one weekend each year.

Bragg said the Salvation Army also has a general recruitment process that attracts volunteers for programs like the red kettles through letters and appearances at University service days.

She said red kettle volunteers are given bells to attract potential donators’ attention.

“People may say it’s annoying, but it’s a silent call to come together as a community and help one another,” she said.

Contact the City Editor at city@dailytarheel.com.

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