LOCAL SALVATION ARMY KICKS OFF ANNUAL BELL-RINGING FUND DRIVE WITH GOAL OF $220,000

Tori Locke could have bought candy or a soft drink with the dollar bill her mother gave her. Instead the 7-year-old stuffed it into the red Salvation Army kettle set up in front of Big K.Any doubts that the holidays are upon us were laid to rest Friday as bell ringers like Delbert Ray Crain set up their tripods holding red kettles to begin the annual Salvation Army holiday fund-raising drive.

Tori's mother, Kathy Locke, said she tries to come up with a donation whenever she passes one of the kettles, and she is trying to teach her daughter that same spirit of giving."I do it to help people who are less fortunate," Locke said. "You never know when it could be you."Crain thanked Tori for her donation and went back to ringing his bell to entice kettle donations, a task he has done the past two holiday seasons. He said occasionally he will get $5, $10, sometimes even $20 or more donation. But most of the time people donate what is in their pockets, usually a dollar or two.

But those dimes and dollars add up. Last year's kettle drive raised $80,000, said Maj. Robert Gauthier of the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau.

Gauthier said the Salvation Army's fund-raising goal for the 1999 holidays, which includes money raised from the kettle drive and donations mailed in and brought by, is $220,000.

Much of that money will be used to provide food and toys for needy families during the holidays. The rest is used for assistance programs during the year.

Gauthier said volunteers are needed to man the kettles, which will be up through Dec. 24. At this time they have been set up at the Wal-Mart stores in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Schnuck's, West Park Mall, Hobby Lobby and Big K. More locations may be added later."We always run short of manpower," Gauthier said.

Whether a person can volunteer just a few hours on a certain day or can commit to a morning, afternoon or evening one day per week, or is a member of a group or organization that can rotate duties, help is always appreciated, Gauthier said.

The Salvation Army is also looking for volunteers and donations for its annual Thanksgiving dinner, which will be Nov. 25."We can use volunteers from about 10 in the morning through the cleanup after the dinner ends about 2:30," Gauthier said.

He said volunteers are needed to host families, deliver meals, help in the kitchen and do many other jobs involved in putting on a dinner that usually serves about 600 people.

Those interested in volunteering may call the Salvation Army. "We can always find something for people to do," Gauthier said.

Donations of food for the Thanksgiving dinner are also welcome, he said. Turkeys already have been taken care of, he said, but still needed are hams, instant potatoes, large cans of vegetables and desserts. Also needed are table decorations for the dinner."In the past, the Salvation Army has made the decorations," Gauthier said. "But we thought a church or organization might want to take it on as a project."Also coming up is the Salvation Army Tree of Lights ceremony, which will be held during the Westfield Works Wonders fund raiser at West Park Mall from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 21.

The Tree of Lights is to make people aware of the holiday season and to draw attention to the Salvation Army kettle at the mall.

To contact the Salvation Army about volunteering or donations, call 335-7000.

What you need to bring for Toybox and Christmas basket applications:* Proof of residency shown from a utility or phone bill stub.* Social Security numbers for everyone in the household.* Photo identification for the person filling out the request.