Salvation Army volunteers went on duty in Shawano last week for another season of bell ringing aimed at seeing the charitable organization through another year.
“Our only source of money, except for a few donations, is from from the Red Kettle campaign, which is going on right now,” said Mike Ascher, a board member and voucher writer for the Shawano County Salvation Army.
The bell ringers can be found stationed on Fridays and Saturdays — right up until Christmas Eve — at Charlie’s County Market, Pick ‘N Save, Kmart and Walmart, where one can usually find volunteer Betty Cox.
“I have free time, and it’s helping the public out. It’s helping the people out, and they’re all friendly,” Cox said. “I was born and raised in Shawano, and they helped me. I’d like to help them back one way or the other.”
Cox has been ringing the bell at Walmart for four years, stationed out in the cold. Unlike the other stores, Walmart doesn’t allow bell ringers inside. Cox said she has been impressed by the good will of the public and their willingness to donate.
“They’ve all been very, very nice. You don’t have to ask,” she said. “They even treat me. They want to know if I want a hamburger, they want to know if I want coffee. One lady brought me hot chocolate.”
Last year, Cox was among 144 individuals and 21 groups and classrooms that helped fill the bell ringing schedule.
They raised more than $26,000, which was used to provide a variety of assistance to Shawano County residents, including temporary lodging for the homeless, help with rent, utilities, medicine, transportation and clothing vouchers for Goodwill.
“The basic thing is emergency help,” Ascher said.
The money doesn’t go as far as it used to.
“Last year, I gave out 166 vouchers, which covered 512 people with their families,” Ascher said.
The total number of vouchers issued was 222. The Salvation Army also distributed 360 backpacks to children and assisted another 700 individuals through the Toys for Tots program; both special projects supported by the Salvation Army.
“At the end of June, we were out of money,” Ascher said. “The year before, we lasted until the end of August. Definitely, the need is increasing.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 11.3 percent of people in Shawano County were below the poverty level between 2007 and 2011, the most recent figure available.
“I can take people to areas in Shawano where the rent — you have to put two families in the house because the rents are too high,” Ascher said. “Some families have five jobs between two adults, but it’s not enough to support a family of four, and there’s no benefits, there’s no insurance. There’s nothing.”
In addition to those already below the poverty level, there is another estimated 12 percent, according to Ascher, who are on the edge and could go over it “if they have a difficult time, an unexpected bill, someone gets sick and they don’t have enough insurance.”
The Shawano County Salvation Army uses an office at the Shawano Area Food Pantry and Resource Center, 218 E. Richmond St., on Wednesday mornings.
On Tuesday mornings, the office is used by the Shawano St. Vincent de Paul Society, which seeks to provide many of the same needs as the Salvation Army.
Like the Salvation Army, the St. Vincent de Paul Society is also seeing an increase in need in the community, according to Linda Koeller, a volunteer and president of the group.
“I am surprised at the young families coming in that need help. Also, the older, retired people,” Koeller said.
“It would be nice to have all these people in a home or an apartment that they’re not afraid of losing,” she said. “It would be nice if they wouldn’t have to worry about their heat being turned off, especially if there’s children in the home.”
Koeller said the area needs a homeless shelter.
“Some people come and there’s no place to send them,” she said.
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