Waukesha Salvation Army red kettles, bells missing; help needed

Waukesha’s Salvation Army is always looking for donations around the holiday. But this year, they're trying to find their own red kettles and bells after a string of items vanished last Saturday.

Leaders with the organization said two kettles and three bells all went missing on the same day at different locations. They fear it could have a serious impact on covering shelter costs.

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For 12 hours a day, six days a week, Albumman Compton waits inside a Pick 'n Save for your spare change. He tries to draw people in with his collection of signed vinyl records – hence his name, "Album Man." Still, he knows the real attention-getter is the bell.

"They hear it. It makes a big deal," he said. "The bell, that’s synonymous with the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign."

Albumman Compton volunteers for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign

This past weekend, after the Thanksgiving holiday, some of those bells were silenced. The Salvation Army Waukesha said bells at three locations – Waukesha, Muskego and Pewaukee – were taken. Two kettles went missing on the same day.

"I don’t know what is the reason, but it’s really sad," the organization's Victor Stasiuc said.

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Matricia Patterson, The Salvation Army Waukesha's director of social services, showed FOX6 News around the organization's Army's 32-bed men's shelter in Waukesha

"Having that kettle campaign raises funds that are needed in order to keep our men safe, sheltered, fed," she said.

The setbacks come as The Salvation Army Waukesha still needs to raise $300,000 by Christmas Eve in order to meet its fundraising goal. Since last month, Compton has single-handedly raised $11,000 in donations.

The Salvation Army Waukesha

"It’s a good cause. It helps of people," said Compton.

The Salvation Army is still looking into what happened to those two missing kettles. Leaders said there wasn’t a bell ringer at those locations, which is another problem; there are 10,000 hours worth of bell-ringer slots that need to be filled between now and Christmas Eve.

Anyone interested in volunteering can find more information online. The organization also has an Amazon wish list.

WaukeshaNews