I discovered a interesting fact recently: The ubiquitous bell-ringers for the Salvation Army who I thought were mostly volunteers – well some are not actually.
Mostly in rural areas, the bell-ringers are indeed usually mostly if not all volunteers. But in more urban areas, and Richmond is one of them, a large number of the bell-ringers are in fact paid. I discovered that 90% of the local bell-ringers are paid. In the River City, the first year a bell-ringer earned $7.50 a hour and in a second or subsequent year it is $8.00 an hour.
The Salvation Army has many places allocated for bell-ringers (ought to check out who is allowing it – like Kroger in Mechanicsville – I could hear the bell from the next door gym I go to) and they got to fill the spots.
How can I help? If you have time to ring that bell and “person” a kettle, contact the local Central Virginia Salvation Army at this website or call the Salvation Army office at 804 225-7470. If you can help the Army save a few dollars, (Ten Hours will be a bit like a donation of $75.00) you’ll be Doing The Most Good(tm) this Christmas season.
About Elwood Sanders
Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)
Excellent and wise observation Mr. Sanders ! It reminds me of the myriad of non-profits local government gives each year $5,000—$15,000 dollars to do good works locally, often times it matches state or federal grant money
Turns out after I examined a few of their budgets around 80-85% of their budgets go to salaries /benefits
It’s doing good alright, for the folks who manage to squeeze nice paychecks and sucker taxpayers into funding their lifestyles.
Bob Shannon King William