Pasadena Salvation Army Bell Ringers Feted at Sixth Annual Red Kettle Kickoff Breakfast on Friday Morning

Get ready for the red, Salvation Army bell ringers at your local stores.

The Salvation Army kicks off the bell season with its Sixth Annual Red Kettle Kickoff Breakfast on Friday at 7 a.m. at the Salvation Army Tabernacle in Pasadena.

“This is our sixth annual Kettle Kickoff Breakfast and we hope to bring awareness to the community,” said Capt. Terry Masango of Pasadena Salvation Army. “Yes we stand with our kettles at the grocery stores and raise funds, but what is raised here locally, stays local, to support programs here in Pasadena,” Masango said.

The Salvation Army, which has wide-ranging charitable iniatives, including helping those in need and fighting human trafficking.

“We do this around holiday time because while many families are buying toys and getting ready for the holidays, some families are pushing the panic button,” Masango said. “We raise funds to provide toys and food for the families who need it.”

The Holiday Season Coming Up

The holiday season is just about here as Thanksgiving approaches and the kettle kickoff breakfast is at 7 am on Friday at the Salvation Army

This year, the kettles are at local grocery stores. The Salvation Army uses the funds to purchase food and toys in the Pasadena area.

“We definitely need more volunteers, we would like people to sign up to ring bells,” Masango said. “People can volunteer as a family, we find people like to volunteer in pairs, if mom and dad and kids come it’s great because we need help.

He said: “The minimum wage is at $14.25 so it’s cheaper to use volunteers than incur costs,” Masango said.

Wearing the Uniform

The Salvation Army is a charity that came out of the Method Church in 1865

“We have a three-pronged approach: Soup, soap and salvation,” Masango said. “We feed people, the soap represents cleaning people and housing and shelter, and salvation is the message we pass in the church. We’ve developed. We’re fighting warfare against social evils and poverty and that’s the reason we started wearing the uniforms.”

As for the other uniform: What is the holiday outfit the bell ringers wear?

“Most people wear Santa Hats,” Masango said.

Though they often are smiling representatives at the supermarket or the local grocery, there is a serious underlying mission.

And this year instead of at the Rose Bowl, the event will be held at the Salvation Army.

“There’s no place like home,” Masango said. “It will save us money to have our breakfast at Salvation Army. Also those who can’t come can mail a check he said.”

“Many of our neighbors are hurting,” Masango said. “The cost of living is high and whatever we can do to help raise spirits of those who are down, we do. Whatever we can do to alleviate the pain in other areas. By donating food and toys at the holidays, it makes a difference.”

The 6th Annual Red Kettle Kickoff Breakfast will start at 7 a.m. on Friday, November 15 at the Salvation Army Pasadena Tabernacle Corps, 960 E. Walnut St., Pasadena. For more information please call 626-773-4440.