Tyler, Texas — Adolph Aguirre, Core Assistant at the Salvation Army in Tyler, tells KETK that donations are significantly down from last year.
Aguirre says they send out Thanksgiving mailers every year, but this year they didn't get a big response like years past.
The Kettle Bell donations make up 25% of the the Salvation Army's budget for the following year, and since donations have been down, they decided to start the bell ringing early this year.
Usually the ringing only lasts for 26 days, and doesn't start until after the Thanksgiving holiday. But, they got a jump start this year. At Broadway Square Mall, Chick-fil-a on Broadway in Tyler, and at the Chick-fil-a location on Troup Highway, they have already started the red kettle bell donation drive.