Like the pristine white of falling snow and hearty green of decorative pine trees, the crimson red of The Salvation Army’s kettles, accompanied by the gentle ring of golden handheld bells, is a sure sign that the Christmas season has arrived.

Although the recent summer-like temperatures and spring-like rainfalls may have people thinking otherwise, winter will soon arrive — and leaders with the local charity organization are already looking to make sure it has a healthy supply of volunteers to collect donations during its annual holiday season fundraiser, which will be from Nov. 10 to Dec. 23 at different locations throughout Dowagiac, Niles, Buchanan and Berrien Springs. People interested in volunteering are asked to call the Niles Salvation Army office at (269) 684-2660.

Volunteers will be ringing bells and collecting donations through the drive from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays during the holiday season. Locations, days and times are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis, and volunteers are asked to serve for at least a two-hour shift, though volunteers may volunteer for as many days as they desire, said Lt. Joseph Hixenbaugh, with the local Salvation Army office.

Outside of the minimum time commitment, there are no requirements or special training volunteers need in order to contribute their services to the kettle drive.

“Just show up, smile and ring your bell,” Hixenbaugh said.

The Salvation Army is particularly focused on recruiting volunteers for Dowagiac, where it is in the process of reorganizing its operations in the city following the recent retirement of longtime volunteers Carl and Judy Bogen, who organized local volunteers for the red kettle fundraiser the last several years, operating out of the ACTION Ministries community center on Main Street.

In response to their retirement, the Niles Salvation Army — which offers services to residents throughout Cass and southern Berrien County — will be consolidating its presence in Dowagiac to a single office, inside the First United Methodist Church on Lowe Street. Ben Slocum, the organization’s social services coordinator, will take appointments in Dowagiac in the afternoons every other Thursday, where he will provide utility, rent, and other assistance and counseling to local residents in need.

“None of our services in Cass County will be discontinued,” Hixenbaugh said. “They will just be presented a little differently.”

In addition to these services, the local Salvation Army branch also provides meals three times a week inside its Niles office, as well as stock the food pantry. It also assists families during the Christmas season, helping parents purchase food and toys.

These services are made possible through the red kettle campaign, which provides the Salvation Army with 70 percent of its funding every year, Hixenbaugh said. This year, the organization is looking to raise $115,000, all of which will be spent helping people across the local area.

“The deeper our pockets, the more people we can help,” Slocum said.

For more information about the kettle drive or other volunteer opportunities, people may contact volunteer coordinator at Tim Douglas at (269) 684-2660  or at timothy_douglas@usc.salvationarmy.org.