As people ring in the Christmas season, many may be doing so without the familiar jingling of the Salvation Army’s bells in the backdrop.

A lack of red kettle workers and volunteers throughout the Northern New England Division — including the Bath corps, according to Maj. Kenneth Henderson — is putting the campaign goal in jeopardy.

There are more than 300 of the familiar red kettles throughout The Salvation Army’s Northern New England Division, which includes Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Fewer bell ringers mean fewer red kettles on street corners and in shopping areas — and fewer donations to help those in need.

“It’s affecting us,” said Henderson. “We’ve noticed fewer bell ringers even though we hire. Fewer people are coming in to fill out applications. We can’t put ringers in as many places.”

If the trend continues, Henderson explained, then giving will be below last year’s total, which will in turn negatively impact what assistance the corps will be able to give back to the community over the next 12 months.

Maj. James LaBossiere, Northern New England divisional commander, knows too well how much local units of the organization rely on the red kettles to assist men, women and children, not just during the Christmas season but throughout the year.

“People can’t give if there’s no one there ringing the bells,” said Maj. LaBossiere. “If we do not have enough people to man these locations then we will lose a significant amount of funds that support many programs and services.”

Maj. Jean Henderson of the Bath Corps told The Times Record on Thursday that 69 children were signed up for Christmas assistance just that day, and there were still a couple hours to go for people to request help.

Last year there were 932 children overall who received gifts, clothing and food from The Salvation Army. “So far this year,” she said, “we are on pace to pass 1,000 children.” Last year 1,812 individuals were helped. This year Henderson guesses they will help just shy of 2,000 individuals.

“The money we raise is put directly back into the community for those people who need it,” Maj. Kenneth Henderson explained. While some kettle donations go directly to helping people during Christmastime, the season of need far outstretches the season of giving.

Kettle season runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, but there will be needs throughout the year that the Army tries to meet.

“A lot of the money goes to heating, food and housing assistance,” he said.

“Today we have ringers in five locations, but we could fill up to 12 locations some days if there were enough workers,” he explained. “We’re struggling to fill those.”

With income from its Christmas Kettle Campaign lagging behind expectations and fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, The Salvation Army is asking individuals, church groups, social clubs, schools and businesses to ring the bells on behalf of local families in need.

Henderson said he asks people to commit to fourhour shifts. “That way, if two people volunteer, they can shift in and out and give each other a break.”

He loves it when an organization — a Rotary club or a church, for example — offers to ring because they generally will take the whole day. The next day, however, we are back to needing people, he explained.

As of Dec. 3, The Salvation Army had collected $338,605 in the kettles throughout the division, a holiday fundraising tradition that dates back to the 1890s. This year The Salvation Army set a goal of $2,058,805 in its Northern New England Division.

The Bath corps serves communities from Brunswick through Woolwich. Contact Maj. Kenneth Henderson at the Bath Salvation Army at 443-3611 for more information on volunteering or being hired part time to ring.

dmadore@timesrecord.com