Charity bells are ringing

Salvation Army volunteers started ringing their bells not too long ago. Also noticeable are the people standing on the side of the road asking for donations to their charity organizations. While I am glad that charity organizations have volunteers asking for donations, these volunteers do not always exhibit the “holiday spirit.�

One incident of less-than-friendly behavior involved my brother. He went into a store that had a Salvation Army volunteer sitting in the front. When my brother left the store, the volunteer started fiercely ringing his bell. After passing the volunteer without giving any money, my brother heard the volunteer yell about something. My brother does not know if the volunteer was yelling at him, but that does not matter. Grumpy Salvation Army volunteers make passersby uncomfortable and less likely to donate.

The volunteers that wait on the side of the road have to realize that they are at a road. The drivers have places to go, and the volunteers should not impede traffic.

All volunteers need to know that many people donate to other organizations. Giving to volunteers at stores or on the roads is not the only way to help the needy.

I took peanut butter and jelly to Penn State York; the college is collecting peanut butter and jelly to give to the Salvation Army.

But no matter the volunteers’ attitudes, we must not be too quick to judge. Some of the volunteers have been standing in the cold for hours, and others may not have received donations since the day began. How would you feel if you sat in the cold all day, and people just walked right past you without making any donations? So if you do donate money to a volunteer, consider thanking him for what he is doing, and give him a cup of coffee. Let’s all remember what the donations are for.