Dana Perkins greets people with his puppet Daisy May at Shaw’s in Saco while asking for donations for The Salvation Army​.

Perkins, a paid seasonal worker, says that using the puppets makes a big difference in getting donations from people.

“The response has been just been hugely positive,” said Perkins who works as a professional ventriloquist and magician who performs throughout New England. “People are curious and keep coming back.”

Perkins brings a different puppet every day to either Shaw’s in Saco or Walmart in Biddeford, where he rings the bell and greets shoppers for five to six hours at a time.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” he called out on Wednesday outside Shaw’s, as many shoppers stopped to put donations in the red, plastic bucket.