By: Taylor Christensen | Royal Oak Review | Published October 30, 2024
ROYAL OAK — Members of the Royal Oak community joined together Oct. 16 to restore red kettles used by the Salvation Army to raise funds each holiday season.
According to Major Steve Woodard, corps officer and pastor at the Royal Oak Salvation Army, around 50 people showed up to learn about the mission and restore the kettles.
“Having people that have the same kindred spirit and that you can connect with, that have the same vision, that really want to love on people and walk alongside them (...) is priceless,” Woodard said.
Woodard said the participants in the ‘Restore the Ring’ event were tasked with painting the kettles, repairing them and polishing them for the 2024 fundraising season.
The Red Kettle Christmas Campaign began in 1891 and grew into one of the largest fundraisers for the Salvation Army, according to Woodard.
In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee sought to provide a Christmas dinner for those in need but was unsure of how to fund the project, according to salvationarmyusa.org.
McFee was inspired to use the kettles by a memory of his time in Liverpool, England, where a large iron skillet called a “Simpsons Pot” was placed where boats came in. People would toss a coin or two in the pot to help the poor, according to the Salvation Army website.
The following day, McFee placed a similar pot in front of a market, and soon raised the money needed to feed the unfortunate on Christmas.
“When people come to the Salvation Army and see those red kettles and say, ‘I want to be a part of that,’ they know that their change can make change,” Woodard said. “To know that it’s something bigger than ourselves, and to be able to help people that are going through some tough times, so we want to help them now.”
Bringing together a group of people to refurbish the kettles who had the same passion for helping others was a memorable moment for Woodard.
“To find people that want to resonate and be there for the same reason, to get the message out, and want to sign up to ring the bell and volunteer,” he said, “it shows that we can provide and stand in for those that think they have been forgotten.”
The loss of connection between people over the last few years has been a big reason why Woodard says that this year’s bell ringing is more important than ever.
“I think in some ways we’ve gone to more isolation, we do a lot of things individually where we kind of miss community,” he said.
Troy residents Katherine Duncan and Toni Kage, a married couple, have been bell ringers for over a decade.
“Toni was the one who started volunteering. (...) That was about 24 years ago. He signed up to do a three-hour stint at Hollywood Market on Maple Road in Troy,” Duncan said. “He came home filled with excitement to tell me about his day, he loved seeing the children put coins or neatly folded bills into the kettle, and always offered them a chance to ring the bell before they left.”
Duncan said that the stories her husband heard from veterans and people impacted by the cause was an experience he would never forget. It motivated her to join him and the two would go on to work four-hour shifts every Friday during the bell-ringing season.
“I caught the bug, and it was wonderful,” Duncan said. “We try to take as many children to the side and in simple terms explain that the money going into the pots might buy Christmas presents for children that don’t have any, or food for a good meal for those who might not otherwise get one.”
The Salvation Army of metro Detroit’s 2024 campaign fundraising goal is $7 million, according to Woodard. He said they need all the help they can get to reach this success.
“I once heard that if everyone would volunteer 15 minutes every week that there would not be a need,” Duncan said. “There is always someplace that needs help. Because we are social beings, we are our brother’s keepers and if 15 minutes each week could make the need for volunteerism go away, we should all do it. Besides that, it makes you feel great inside.”
For more information and to register for the 2024 Red Kettle Campaign, visit www.sametrodetroit.org. There are options to sign up for a traditional two-hour bell ringing or a virtual option to raise money from home.
Bell ringing will begin on Nov. 8 and run through Dec. 24, excluding Thanksgiving and Sundays.