7QUESTIONS+PLUS

Denise Usinger, a Salvation Army bell ringer. Usinger was born, schooled and married in Kenosha. She’s a wife, a mom and a realtor at Re/Max Elite. This year, she co-chaired the Public Relations Committee for the Kenosha Realtors Association and she coordinated their part in the bell-ringing campaign.

Denise Usinger will now take your questions ...

Is there a particular time of day when people are most responsive to the bell ringer? We don’t really break it down to times of the day. We go when we can and enjoy every minute.
Do parents tend to encourage children to make donations? There is nothing more blessing to my heart than when I see a child put money in the kettle. The joy in their little faces as they give is what the season is all about. We do see parents encourage the children to give, but we also see the children encourage the parents to give.

Do people ever offer bell ringers coffee or a donut? We have been offered coffee and hot cocoa but we love the conversations best of all.

Are people generally cordial and responsive, even appreciative for what the bell ringer is doing? My experience as a bell ringer has been that our community is a giving community. People do care, are very friendly and responsive to the needs of our community. I believe people in Kenosha expect us to be there, we have become part of the season’s traditions. What I hear most is “Thank You” and “Merry Christmas.”

In your experience, what bell ringing spot has the most generous people? The enthusiasm and cheerfulness of the bell ringer has everything to do with the spot where the people are most generous.

Do people become more generous the closer we get to Christmas? I don’t think people are more or less generous depending on how close we are to Christmas. It has more to do with the fun and excitement surrounding the bell ringer.

What motivates a bell ringer to raise money through the donation kettle program of the Salvation Army? Motivation is different for all people. At the heart of it is we all want to feel love and joy. When we stand out in the cold ringing the bell, what we really feel is the warmth of the hearts of the people. People that truly are part of ourselves. So whether you give or not doesn’t matter, we wish you unconditional love and joy throughout the New Year.

Is there any recollections you can share that are truly inspirational and touching? I would like to share an experience my daughter and I had two years ago. It was a frigid evening at the end of our shift. We noticed a homeless women walking in the not-so far distance. Suddenly she bent down to pick something up and began to walk toward us. You could see she was tired and cold. She was missing the finger tips from her one worn-out glove and didn’t have a hat on. In the other bare, dirty hand she held a few sunflower seeds. She then dropped a coin into the kettle while looking into my eyes. I swallowed to try to hold back my tears. I quickly went into the store to purchase a hat and gloves, but when I returned she was gone. We drove all over the parking lot and up and down the street looking for her, she was no where to be found. That experience changed our lives forever as well as all the people who witnessed it.

What’s the worst weather you’ve had to work in? I personally have not had to bell ring in too bad of conditions, mostly just cold temperatures and a little wind. You really don’t feel it all that much.
Bell ringers are voluntary, so what makes you want to stand for hours outside a busy shopping center in the cold of winter? What makes me want to bell ring is that Salvation Army does wonderful things to help families. What we collect has to help families make it through some tough times. The truth is that I get so much more back than what I give.

I’ve noticed that most bell ringers are older individuals. Are you having trouble finding help from members of younger generations or is there a fresh crop of retirees from which to recruit each season? We have bell ringers of all ages. Once you ring the bells you’re hooked. You want to do it every year. The love and the joy you feel as you volunteer a little of your time will put you into the Christmas Spirit.

Everywhere I’ve ever lived, someone has dropped a gold Krugerrand in one of the red kettles at some point during the holidays. How many people have gold Krugerrands, really? And how come no one ever comes forward to take credit for dropping them in the kettle? Gold Krugerrands are donated every year. It is possible that it is from the same person, but they’re believed to be from different people. This year the first one given was in North Dakota. Sometimes it is wrapped in a dollar bill or a cloth so not to attract attention, therefore we honor the anonymous givers wishes to remain anonymous.

Do people put things other than money in the kettle? What’s the oddest thing someone has dropped in the kettle? Every year as we open the kettles we have surprises. People drop anything from medications to wedding rings into the kettles. (Salvation Army Captain Marion) Moore says the oddest thing he thinks we got was gummy worms. It was a rainy day and the money was all sticky.