Commerce welcomes bell ringers for holidays

Commerce, Texas is no stranger to the familiar holiday sights and sounds of Salvation Army bell ringers.              

Mrs. Judy Rudoff has helped coordinate bell ringing volunteer efforts in Commerce for the nationwide annual Red Kettle Christmas Campaign through First United Methodist Church Commerce (FUMC-Commerce) for the past eight years.

Rudoff said sheets are made available every November at FUMC-Commerce for groups and individuals to sign up for volunteer hours. She said many groups and organizations in Commerce volunteer every year including, but not limited to, Commerce High School National Honor Society, Disciples of Faith, the Psychology Club of Commerce and American Legion Post #1. 

Teresa McNeil of the Commerce Rotary Club organizes bell ringing shifts for Brookshire's grocery store. Rudoff said it is a more challenging task coordinating bell ringing shifts at Brookshire's than Wal-Mart as at least two bell ringers are required, one for each of the store's two entrances.

Rudoff said many parents see the kettle campaign as a way to introduce their children to the concept of giving to others. Two bell ringers at Wal-Mart even experienced young children bringing bags of pennies to donate.

"It's delightful and parents want their kids to learn to give, and so they encourage them to do that," Rudoff said. "I find people in Commerce to be very generous. The economy is down, but people are willing to give what they can. It's wonderful."

Eleven year Commerce resident Mary Shumway and her family have volunteered as bell ringers on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for more than eight years. They first became involved in bell ringing through attending FUMC-Commerce and now look forward to it as an annual family tradition.

"My kids and I love meeting, greeting and just smiling at folks to maybe help their day go better," Shumway said. "We are a social family and honestly it is fun to be a ‘greeter' for a day. We laugh, sing, visit, and ring!" 

Shumway's husband Danny has played Santa Claus many years, and on one occasion the family's knowledge of sign language provided a deaf child the opportunity to tell "Santa" her Christmas wish list in front of Wal-Mart.

"It is a gift to us to ring," Shumway said. "The stories, smiles and being able to see the outcome of the money collected (vouchers) is worth the short 8-10 hours of ringing."

Rudoff said all funds raised through the kettle campaign in Commerce are used to help Commerce residents as well as those who may live immediately outside of the city limits. The funds are distributed in the form of vouchers to assist people with food and gas expenses and occasionally with prescription medication costs.

All of the administrative costs for organizing bell ringing at Wal-Mart are paid for in full by FUMC-Commerce and all bell ringers in Commerce are strictly volunteers.  

Commerce High School (CHS) student Macy Sims said this is her first year to bell ring for the Salvation Army. Sims is a member of the CHS National Honor Society, which requires students to participate in 10 hours of volunteer work per semester.

"I like just knowing that we're helping people and providing them Christmases that they wouldn't get without this," she said.

CHS National Honor Society members Morgan Morrison and Emily Ballew said they enjoy bell ringing as chance to help other families in need and to see how many people give back to the community, respectively.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer as a Salvation Army bell ringer in Commerce may contact either Judy Rudoff at FUMC-Commerce at 903-886-3220 or Teresa McNeil at 214-507-0341.