It’s a sign, and a sound of the season. Red Kettles and bell ringers. As the holiday season approaches, the Salina Salvation Army is preparing for its busiest and most impactful time of the year.

 The familiar sound of ringing bells is back. Captain Luke Hursh tells KSAL News the Red Kettle campaign officially began on November 17. This year, the organization features 10 red kettle locations across local storefronts, down slightly from 12 due to the closure of the Central Mall. Volunteers are still needed to ring bells and can sign up for two-hour shifts. He notes that bell ringing can be a wonderful family outing or a friendly community competition.

In addition to the red kettles, the Angel Tree program will be back to support local children and families. Angel Trees will be set up at Walmart and Sam’s Club starting this Tuesday, allowing community members to select an angel tag listing a child’s name, clothing size, shoe size, and wish list. Adopted gifts must be returned by December 7. New for this year, the Salvation Army is introducing an Angel Toy Shop so parents can personally select toys for their children when picking up their Angel Tree items.

The organization is also preparing for its annual Thanksgiving meal, which served over 900 meals last year. The drive-through dinner will take place on the day before Thanksgiving from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM at the Salina Salvation Army building on S. Santa Fe. The meal is completely free, open to anyone with no questions asked, and provides up to four meals per vehicle. This massive community effort is supported by generous local partners, including GL Huyett providing turkeys, along with Applebee’s, the Salina Country Club, and Tony’s Pizza Event Center supplying food warmers.

With an overall holiday fundraising goal of $70,000, the Salina Salvation Army relies entirely on local generosity rather than government grants to fund emergency rent, utility assistance, and food programs. The year-round thrift store located at 157 South 5th Street also serves as a vital fundraiser, where gently used clothing and household items are sold at a low cost to support community programs.

Community members visiting the Salvation Army at 1137 S. Santa Fe will also notice that their building is now 99% complete following extensive renovations, which include a stunning new gymnasium floor, updated showers, and a refreshed auditorium available for community events.