Charity disavows political messages of bell ringers

Local News

December 15, 2009

By Bill Robinson The Richmond Register Tue Dec 15, 2009, 01:07 PM EST

The Richmond Unit of the Salvation Army on Monday issued a statement disavowing the action of some Red Kettle campaign volunteers that it fears could be construed as a political endorsement.

“The Salvation Army strives to meet human needs throughout the year and does not endorse any political candidate or party,” the charity’s Capt. Ryan Brown said in a written statement.

The statement was issued after local Salvation Army officials were asked about a political candidate and two other volunteers who wore campaign sweatshirts Saturday as they solicited donations at a donation kettle in front of the Richmond Walmart.

A photograph submitted to the Register shows Mike Cope, who recently filed to run for the state senate seat currently held by Ed Worley, D-Richmond, and two other men dressed in the Cope’s campaign shirts as they stood next to kettle ringing hand bells.

The person who submitted the photo to the newspaper said Cope and another man wore the campaign shirts as they solicited in front of the Richmond Kroger the previous weekend.

A similar photo is posted on Cope’s campaign Web site with a statement by the candidate asking his supporters to assist the Salvation Army.

“The Salvation Army appreciates the assistance of citizens and groups from the community who volunteer their time to ring bells during the Christmas season,” Brown’s said in his written statement.

Red kettle volunteers each are issued one of the Salvation Army’s trademark red aprons, which they are supposed to wear while soliciting for the organization, Brown said in an interview.

All volunteer coordinators are instructed about the requirement, Brown said, and all are being reminded this week in light of Saturday’s occurrence.

“We can’t always control the actions of our volunteers,” he said, “but everyone is informed of our policy.”

Brown said he had not spoken with Cope since Saturday, but intended to.

The Salvation Army’s relationship with Walmart likely would not be affected by the Cope campaign’s actions, Brown said.

“We have long had a good relationship with Walmart in Richmond and local management continues to be very supportive of the Salvation Army’s ministries,” he said.

Kettle collections this year are running ahead of last year, Brown said.

“We started a week earlier this year,” he said, “but even allowing for that, we’re still ahead of 2008’s collections.

“I think the Madison County community realizes that people’s needs are greater this year, and they are responding generously,” Brown said.

The kettle campaign’s goal this Christmas season is $70,000, which will help fund the organization’s ministries for the coming year, he said.

The Salvation Army is seeing evidence of increased human needs in a variety of ways, Brown said. Among them is a survey that the organization conducts every Monday of highway overpasses and railways, places where the homeless often take shelter.

“Today, we found two tents with fire pits where people appear to be living,” Brown said Monday. “A stack of unused wood indicated that someone would be coming back to at least one campsite.

“We left bags of food, clothing, shoes and coats at the campsite,” he said.

Bibles also were left with notes inside telling anyone who found them about the Salvation Army’s shelter, soup kitchen and other services, Brown said.

The charity’s aid to families at Christmas also includes its Angel Tree campaign, which asks shoppers to “adopt” a child whose name is among the 1,000 angels attached to Christmas trees at the Richmond and Berea Walmarts.

Each Angel Tree child receives a Christmas stocking filled with toys, personal items and other gifts.

Angel tree donations were due Monday, but those who missed the deadline still can turn their stocking in by Thursday to the Salvation Army Center on East Main Street in Richmond, said Capt. Shawna Brown.

The stockings will be distributed to families at the center on Saturday, she said.

Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@

richmondregister.com or at 624-6622.

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