The Salvation Army called me about a month ago looking for celebrity bell ringers to help kick off its annual Red Kettle Campaign.

Everybody knows there hasn't been a bona fide celebrity around here since Bakersfield lost Buck, but I signed on anyway, joining other local media types, elected officials and business leaders at the Marketplace last Saturday.

The kickoff appeared to have more "celebrities" than organizers knew what to do with, at least on my shift. We had a great time, though, ringing our little bells and waving madly to puzzled-looking passers-by on their way to Edwards Cinema.

If movie goers wanted to get by our giddy gauntlet without dropping some coins in our kettles, they had to be pretty determined.

Unfortunately, that may be the last time the Salvation Army has such an abundance of volunteers this Christmas season, Capt. David Ebel told us.

This season, volunteers make up about 80 percent of Bakersfield's bell ringer work force. Not bad. It's a huge jump from the 2 percent it was four years ago, when Ebel took up directorship of the local corps, but it still means the good captain must hire the remaining 20 percent.

"If I have to pay someone to work eight hours and they raise $100, only half goes to the community," he said. "If there's no salary involved all the money goes to the community. There's a lot more I could do with that money if it stayed in my coffers."

Ebel, whose voice is already hoarse from nonstop recruitment efforts, is quick to launch into a laundry list of services waiting to be funded from kettle collections, which make up about one sixth of his annual budget. He hopes to pull $100,000 from the kettles this Christmas.

"That money is going to help us feed hungry children and seniors and help at-risk students whose parents can't afford tutors," he said. "We're also an integrity partner in disasters -- we were at the evacuations site for the recent fire south of us, providing hot food and beverages to firefighters and evacuees and anyone else impacted by the fire."

Kettle coins also provide Christmas dinners and toys for needy families, he said.

Volunteers who can spare even an hour or two are needed to fill shifts that run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Kettles and volunteers are posted at most of the major retail and grocery stores all around town.

Notably absent from this year's list of kettle sites is Target, the big box retailer that took an undeserved public relations pounding when it banned Salvation Army bell ringers from its store sites two Christmases ago. Target officials said they were merely enforcing a long-standing no-solicitation policy in the face of rising nonprofit requests, but the Internet highway was soon jammed with rumors that Target banned the bell ringers because the Salvation Army is an evangelical Christian organization.

"Not at all," said Target spokeswoman Paula Thornton-Greear. "I think the majority of people understood we needed to keep our no-solicitation policy consistent across the board. We have a long-standing partnership with the Salvation Army and our policy certainly doesn't diminish that support."

Some Salvation Army officials admitted they were initially disappointed over the retailer's decision to ban the kettles, but have since sung the praises of Target's efforts to find alternate ways of supporting their cause. This year, Target not only donated $1 million to the Salvation Army's Christmas efforts, it launched an online version of its Angel Tree Program, where shoppers can buy "virtual ornaments" for various dollar amounts that will provide new clothes, toys and food for needy families.

Less computer-savvy shoppers can buy a limited edition 2006 angel ornament at Target for just $10, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Salvation Army.

The first Christmas season of the Target ban was nerve-racking for Ebel, who expected a $50,000 loss. But Bakersfield, he said, wasn't going to let that happen.

"I put the word out to the community and they gave generously and made sure we were OK," he said. "We actually closed $2,000 ahead."

The Salvation Army has served Bakersfield since 1890, saving souls and feeding the hungry. Want to return the favor? Give Capt. Ebel a call at 836-8487.

Marylee Shrider's column appears Tuesdays and Saturdays. For comments or questions please contact her at mshrider@bakersfield.com or leave a voicemail at 395-7474.

Get involved

The Salvation Army needs volunteer bell ringers to man kettles throughout December. For more information visit the Bakersfield Corps Community Center at 4417 Wilson Road or call 836-8487.