Ringing for the Salvation Army

Today I served as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army's annual Red Kettle campaign. When I arrived at the location, the previous shift's ringer handed over the bell and apron. I then proceeded as I had seen other ringers do: I greeted people as they entered the store and as they left, doing my best to hold a smile and continue ringing the bell. There was a continuous stream of people entering and exiting for most of my four-hour period, so there was almost always greeting to do. People were more generous than I expected - every few minutes, someone would make a donation. At the end, my legs were tired from standing and it was getting cold (the jacket I selected was much more appropriate for the beginning of my shift than the end), but I felt that I had helped facilitate some good.