Hannah Baleme/MDN Jim Hatlelid, left, and Don Grant, right, ring bells on Nov. 21 in Cash Wise to raise money for The Salvation Army.

Bells are ringing at nine local stores to raise money for the Minot Salvation Army.

The annual Red Kettle campaign officially kicked off Saturday, Nov. 18, at Dakota Square Mall, and kicked off Friday, Nov. 24, at nine local store locations that include all four Marketplace Foods, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Cash Wise and Home of Economy.

There was an urgent need for volunteers to sign up for this year’s campaign, as more than 2,600 hours are needed to reach this year’s goal. Salvation Army Capt. John Woodard said more people have stepped up to the plate recently and offered their time to volunteer, but more are always needed.

“Pre-pandemic numbers are what we need now because it’s getting difficult for us. We have had to dip into our reserves. Thanks to the pandemic, the last few years have made it difficult for people to get out there and volunteer their time. We want to get back to those pre-pandemic levels of volunteerism,” Woodard said.

The goal for this year’s kettles is $75,000. The overall goal is $200,000.

The funds will be distributed through the Salvation Army’s programs to help aid the community. The programs include food pantries, rental assistance and utility assistance.

“We are concerned about not reaching our goal this year because we have not made it the last three years,” Woodard said. “It has put us in a bit of a financial crisis. We just want to make sure people realize the more they volunteer, the more likely we are to reach our goal and be able to sustain ourselves until next year.”