For the past five years, Rob Francis has been a familiar site to holiday shoppers at the JC Penney store at the Ashland Town Center. From early November through Christmas Eve, usually three times a week, Francis greets shoppers, holds the door for them, and even helps those who’ve temporarily lost their vehicle in the vast sea of a parking lot.
If that description doesn’t ring a bell, then what about a silver-haired main surrounded by six adorable youngsters – all wearing Christmas pajamas?
Jingling a bell for the Salvation Army during the holiday season to raise funds for those less fortunate in our area is a passion for Francis, and one he’s been passing on to his grandchildren for the past five years.
“It’s about helping others. We are supposed to serve our fellow man,” Francis said. “I enjoy doing this so much, and I am able to share it with my grandkids, which is a huge blessing. They are learning the importance of helping others less fortunate.”
After Francis retired from the finance department at Ashland Oil/Marathon, he searched for an activity where he could give back to the community that’s been so good to him and his family. That led him to the Salvation Army six years ago. “I am good at approaching people and striking up a conversation,” he said. “Plus, when it’s colder, I go stir crazy being inside. Ringing a bell is perfect for me.”
During his second year, a woman remarked that he’d probably get more donations if he entertained shoppers with a song or dance. Not something that Francis was likely to do, but it immediately made him think of his grandchildren, Robbie III, Jonah, Rachel, Grant, Chloe, Jonathan and Katie. “I thought I’ll bring my cute grandkids! That will be much better.”
The kids are happy to sing Christmas carols and dance. People driving by the Penney’s entrance will often roll down their window to offer a donation. “They get more donations in a couple hours than I do in an entire shift,” Francis said.
Francis’ wife, Cheryl, thought dressing the kids – and Rob – in Christmas pajamas might garner even more attention. She was right. “We usually have the largest giving for a shift on Black Friday and Christmas Eve.”
But, it’s not about setting donation records or wearing cute pajamas. The true spirit of the holiday season is what Francis wants to instill in his grandchildren. For example, seeing parents who obviously don’t have much money find a few coins for their children to put in the red kettle. That’s what it’s all about. “People say it’s better to give than receive, and when you are out there ringing a bell, you realize that’s so true,” Francis said.
Judging by the words written by his oldest granddaughter, Katie Roberson, when she was in first grade three years ago, the message is clear. In response to the prompt, “What is your dream for Christmas?,” young Katie wrote: “My dream would be that me and my pawpaw would keep ringing the bell for money for the poor people because they could have food to eat and a place to live.”
Not only is Francis’ bell ringing dedication a huge benefit to the Ashland community, but the legacy he’s passing to his grandchildren is invaluable, said Lt. Doug Monroe of the Salvation Army in Ashland. “They are learning about giving back, and how important that is.”
Volunteers like the Francis family make up about 30 percent of the total bell ringing hours and bring in about 40 percent of the donations each season. Their work is vitally important, Monroe said, as about 90 percent of the money raised funds local programs.
This holiday season, Francis has one simple wish: “If everyone who passes by a kettle just gave a quarter, think how much that would be,” Francis said.
You can ring my bell
Volunteer are still needed for this year’s bell ringing season. You can volunteer by calling 606.324.5751. The 2018 season runs through Christmas Eve.
Red Kettle History
In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. He only had one major hurdle to overcome -- funding the project.
Where would the money come from, he wondered. He lay awake nights, worrying, thinking, praying about how he could find the funds to fulfill his commitment of feeding 1,000 of the city's poorest individuals on Christmas Day. As he pondered the issue, his thoughts drifted back to his sailor days in Liverpool, England. He remembered how at Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called "Simpson's Pot" into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.
The next day, Captain McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, "Keep the Pot Boiling." He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.
Six years later, the kettle idea spread from the west coast to the Boston area. That year, the combined effort nationwide resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy. In 1901, kettle contributions in New York City provided funds for the first mammoth sit-down dinner in Madison Square Garden, a custom that continued for many years. Today in the U.S., The Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods.
Captain McFee's kettle idea launched a tradition that has spread not only throughout the United States, but all across the world. Kettles are now used in Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries. Everywhere, public contributions to Salvation Army kettles enable the organization to continue its year-round efforts at helping those who would otherwise be forgotten.
