By By Scottye Carter/The Meridian Star
July 3, 2001
If you go to Bonita Lakes Mall, Wal-Mart, or Kmart this week, you may think it's Christmas already.
Salvation Army volunteers will be ringing their bells at kettles all week as a part of a Salvation Army's fund-raiser called "Christmas in July." The fund-raiser was created not only to raise money but also raise awareness.
Around Christmas time, it's impossible to do any shopping without seeing a Salvation Army volunteer struggling in the cold to ring his bell, and Carter hopes July will eventually symbolize the same in people's minds.
Bell-ringing started Monday morning at 10 a.m. and will continue all week. All money given to the volunteers goes straight to the Lauderdale County Salvation Army.
Carter said he hopes the Christmas in July program will raise around $30,000.
The Salvation Army also needs donations of food.
The cinema was donated for use to the Salvation Army for Saturday.
The Salvation Army still needs a few more volunteers to ring the bells, especially on Friday. For more information, call Brad Carter at 483-0601.
Scottye Carter is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551