MUSCATINE, Iowa — The Muscatine Salvation Army wants you.

About 400 of you, to be more precise.

Your mission as a soldier of salvation? Armed with a bell and a smile, you’ll help the group reach its goal of raising $100,000 this holiday season.

Capt. Quentin Boyle, who with his wife, Capt. Mary Boyle, oversees operations at Muscatine’s Salvation Army, said there are approximately 400 one-hour shifts to fill at the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle donation sites over the next two weeks.

The annual fundraiser got under way Nov. 21. It’s chairs are Jim and Tammy Stein of Muscatine.

Last year, the campaign goal was $95,000 which was surpassed with a total of $147,000.

This year’s goal is $100,000 and $25,576 has been raised with 2½weeks to go.

Last year at this time, the organization had received $39,900 in donations.

Boyle said he wasn’t expecting donations to be as brisk in 2008 considering the current economic trends.

“We usually catch up at the end,” he said.

Boyle hopes people throughout the community will join him in making that happen.

“I know it’s cold out there,” said Boyle. “But the funds you help raise can heat someone’s home.”

In 2007 and 2008, Boyle, his staff and area volunteers assisted county residents during two summers of natural disasters. In 2007, Muscatine and neighboring Fruitland and Grandview were struck by a tornado that wiped out entire areas in the community.

This past summer, long-term, wide-spread flooding and a disastrous torrential rain damaged many more residences.

During those disasters, the Salvation Army went into damaged neighborhoods with food, water and supplies as volunteers and staff members helped assist residents.

 “You are touching lives not just at Christmas, but throughout the year by standing at the kettle for an hour,” said Boyle.

There are several approaches volunteers can take to manning the kettles.

Boyle suggests that families, church groups and businesses make bell ringing a team effort and holiday tradition. On cold days, two or three people could go to a kettle site and take turns going inside and warming up if the kettle is outside.

Business and company owners could also consider giving their employees time to leave the workplace and ring the bell as a donation to the Salvation Army.

Boyle would also like to see school and church groups volunteer to sing together at the kettle sites.

Volunteers can call the Salvation Army at 263-8272 for a spot at the Red Kettle stations.

Reporter contact information

Cynthia Beaudette 563-262-0527

cynthia.beaudette@muscatinejournal.com