Steamboat Pilot & Today

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, the Salvation Army Bell Ringers will be out in front of local stores.

But organizer Debbie Freseman said more volunteers are needed to meet the 150 hours bell ringers are scheduled to be out this holiday season.

Bell ringers started Friday outside City Market and Wal-Mart in Central Park Plaza. Throughout the holidays, bell ringers will be there from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Thursday and Friday afternoons. Bell ringer shifts also are planned for every day in the week before Christmas.

For the first time, the Masonic Lodge is organizing for bell ringers to be downtown at Eighth Street and Lincoln Avenue.

Although it can be tough to fill all the time slots, LIFT-UP Executive Director David Freseman said, people enjoy it -- dressing in Santa costumes and bringing their children with them.

"People have a great time. It is just fun to get out there and greet people," Freseman said.

Local groups also have signed up for the task. The Lowell Whiteman School is ringing bells Friday afternoons, and the Steamboat Springs High School Leadership class volunteered for Saturday. Debbie Freseman said she wishes more local businesses would sign up for hours.

One hundred percent of the money generated by bell ringers goes toward assistance, and none of it is used for administration costs, Freseman said. About one-tenth of the money goes to the statewide Salvation Army fund, and all the rest of the money remains in Routt County.

Anyone interested in being a bell ringer this season can call Debbie Freseman at 879-8192.