Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
An unexpectedly enthusiastic response from the Kosciusko County community has local Salvation Army officials counting their blessings.
"This is really a community with a lot of heart," said Lt. Jeff Horn, commanding officer of the Warsaw Salvation Army. "A lot of people here really care."
The Salvation Army has paid people minimum wage in the past to ring bells at their collection kettles, which are placed in various locations in the area.
This year, however, community leaders, organizations and businesses are donating large numbers of volunteers to be bellringers. All volunteers ring for two-hour slots.
For example, said Roz Morgan, special services coordinator, on Dec. 2, Warsaw Mayor Jeff Plank, Kosciusko County Sheriff Al Rovenstine, County Prosecutor David Kolbe and Warsaw Fire Chief Ken Shepherd rang bells for the Salvation Army.
On Tuesday, all the kettles were manned by volunteers from various departments of Kosciusko Community Hospital, which had 13 volunteers to ring bells at six positions, Morgan said.
Rice Ford provided bellringers Thursday, First National Bank employees have offered their services, and this week volunteers from the VFW, Dalton Foundries and Budget Bug Waterbeds will help the fund-raising effort.
Local businesses aren't the only ones showing Christmas spirit - cheerleaders from Warsaw Community High School will ring bells on Dec. 19, and the boys' and girls' basketball teams from Harrison Elementary will help out. The WCHS English department also will furnish volunteers.
Morgan said this is the first year the community has made such an organized effort to help the Salvation Army with its major annual fund-raising effort.
"I have never seen the equal of these people, bar none," Morgan said. "It has been an experience, I can tell you."
