During the holiday season in Penticton, B.C., you might come across Joseph Driscoll, wearing his signature Santa hat and ringing a Salvation Army bell outside a local grocery store. He aims to get the attention of passersby and encourage them to support the Army’s Christmas kettle campaign.

Rewarding Activity

Joseph, 90, is involved with The Salvation Army all year around, but when kettle campaign registration opens, Joseph is always ready and eager to put in his shifts.

“I feel like I have an obligation to do this each year,” Joseph says. “As soon as the notice comes out, I volunteer.I look forward to that.”

The Christmas kettle campaign has been a decades-long tradition for Joseph. For 30 years, he has been raising money for families each Christmas. Loving the social aspect of volunteering and admiring the Army’s work, Joseph finds this task enjoyable.

“All the things that The Salvation Army does in our area are amazing, so I am interested in encouraging the work they do, and it all ties in with the bell ringing,” he says. “A lot of the money that comes from it will go into the areas that they sponsor. The rewarding part for me is being able to greet people in the different stores and wish them a merry Christmas.”

Every Shift Matters

Through the years, Joseph has made friends while volunteering. He takes on three to four shifts weekly at different locations in Penticton and has also inspired other people to volunteer.

“I hope to be able to volunteer for many, many years to come,” Joseph adds.

Mary MacArthur, last year’s kettle campaign co-ordinator in Penticton, says that volunteering is a great opportunity to give back to the community, as the shifts are flexible, and you can pick your own hours.

“Two hours of your time would help support a family,” she says. “If more people were willing to give just two hours, it would make a huge difference at the food bank. It would enable us to help people who are struggling now more than ever with food security, just trying to get by day by day.”

This story is from: