As I ring, I sing | Blind bell ringer offers Christmas concert for passersby
Daniel Strube is blind, but that hasn t stopped him from singing while ringing every year for the Salvation Army s annual Kettle Drive. Author: Brent Ashcroft Updated: 3:21 PM CST December 24, 2020
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Between the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas every year, it s hard to miss The Salvation Army Bell Ringers. They stand in the entryways of area stores, hoping for your donations which will help provide the essential gifts of food, shelter to those who need it.
A bell ringer in Grand Rapids, who is challenged by blindness, is offering more than a continuous shake of his wrist, and his action is causing passersby to pause and do more than donate.
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The Salvation Army is anticipating a 50 percent drop in holiday donations this year, a trend local Salvation Army workers are noticing in the Northwoods.
Kim Swisher, the Kettle Coordinator for the Minocqua Salvation Army, said fewer people are signing up for bell ringing shifts this year because of concerns about COVID-19.
As a result, donations for the Minocqua Salvation Army are down, at a time when need is great.
“People have been very generous and as of [Monday] we’ve raised almost $8,000, but usually we raise about $35,000 in a season,” Swisher said. “We’re concerned. We’re very concerned.”
Of every dollar donated to the Salvation Army, 86 cents stay in the local community, with the remaining 14 going to state and national efforts.