With the Salvation Army kettle season just a few weeks away, Albert Lea Salvation Army leaders are asking for the support of the community in reaching a higher than ever Christmas goal.

To meet the influx of basic needs and rising unemployment, the normal Christmas goal has been raised to almost $172,000. This is about $40,000 higher than last year’s goal of $134,000.

Albert Lea Salvation Army Capt. Jim Brickson said this year the organization has seen a major increase in people needing food from the food pantry. They have also had to provide more rental assistance and have assisted more people who are unemployed.

To help reach the higher need, volunteers will start ringing bells a few days earlier than in years past.

On Nov. 20, 21 and 25, the campaign will begin at both Nelson’s Market Place and Hy-Vee.

Brickson said he and Christmas Chairman Chris Mishler have worked closely with the local managers of these stores to obtain special permission to ring on those days.

The actual kettle kickoff will be at Northbridge Mall on Nov. 23.

Then on Nov. 26, volunteers will begin ringing bells at Shopko, Northbridge Mall and Walmart.

“If we could keep the bells continually ringing at all the locations all during the campaign, it is more than possible,” Brickson said. “We only have five kettle locations, and if we did not let a site go empty for even an hour would be the first step toward the goal.”

He encouraged community members to find two hours of their time to ring the bell at a location. This could help cover the shortage of bell ringers in the area, he said.

People could also consider personally sponsoring an entire day with their family members, friends or co-workers.

“Two hours goes by pretty fast,” Brickson said. “If we can get these families to adopt the kettle days — one kettle day for a family and then split it up, that’d be so helpful.”

Brickson said the Salvation Army has gone to great lengths to make ringing bells an enjoyable experience for volunteers; however, because of the national Walmart policy, bell ringers are unable to ring inside the entry of that store.

He said the local Walmart manager has made many attempts to repeal this policy.

Volunteers who ring at Walmart will be able to stand in a shed of sorts that has a heater in it to help make their experience more comfortable.

Ringing goes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at all locations and then from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the weekends at Hy-Vee, Nelson’s and Walmart.

Last year there were 272 unfilled volunteer hours, most of which were at Walmart.

All funds raised through the campaign help the organization with myriad assistance programs for the community, including after-school and summer day-care programs for low-income families, temporary shelter, rental and fuel assistance, a food pantry and budget counseling to help families achieve economic independence.

People who would like to volunteer to ring bells can register online at www.thesalarmy.org/albertlea or by phone at 373-5710.

On the Web site, people should click “Wanna Be a Bell Ringer,” which will enable them to set up their own account. From there, they can select the day, time and location they wish to volunteer.

The new campaign goal will be an immediate solution to the $25,000 deficit of funds that drive the social services and other services of the local Salvation Army.