For whom the bell tolls

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For whom the bell tolls

Salvation Army work is part of holiday tradition for local resident

For whom the bell tolls

History of the Red Kettles

In 1891, Captain Joseph McFee made a commitment to provide 1,000 of San Francisco’s poorest inhabitants with a Christmas dinner.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have enough money to purchase the food.

He recalled his days as a soldier in Liverpool, England where he saw a “Simpson’s Pot,” large pot where donations were collected to help the poor.

McFee secured his own pot at the Oakland Ferry landing and placed a sign beside the pot that read “Keep The Pot Boiling.” It became an instant success and the funds for the dinner were collected.

Six years later, the kettle idea spread from the West Coast to the Boston area. That year, the combined effort nationwide resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy. In 1901, kettle contributions in New York City provided funds for the first mammoth sit-down dinner in Madison Square Garden.

Today in the U.S., The Salvation Army assists more than 4.5 million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods.







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