Bells were ringing outside Selma City Hall Monday for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign kickoff.

Board members and volunteers stood outside city hall ringing their bells to let the city know the campaign to fight poverty is now under way.

“This means it’s the beginning of our Christmas season,” said Monique Brech, director at the Salvation Army Service Center in Selma. “It’s the beginning of our kettle season, and this is our biggest fundraiser of the year.”

The campaign started for the Salvation Army in 1891, when Captain Joseph McFee wanted to feed people in San Francisco that were going hungry.

It’s the Salvation Army’s biggest fundraiser, and funds raised in Selma will stay in Selma to help people that need assistance.

“The money that we raise throughout our kettle season basically supports us throughout the year, and it helps us to provide utility assistance [and] rent assistance for the community,” Brech said. “It helps us maintain throughout the year.”

Henry Allen, who has coordinated volunteers for the campaign since he can remember, said it is a great way to give back to the community.

“You’re doing it as citizenship, giving your time back for a worthy cause and a good purpose,” he said. “This is what it’s all about. It’s about loving and giving.”

Allen said the community is great about volunteering their time to ring the bells and help the Salvation Army raise money during this time. He said many clubs, organizations and businesses sign up to help, and it is a great asset.

Brech said the volunteers are what really make the campaign such a success each year.

“Volunteers are the key to making this program work,” she said. “Because if we don’t have volunteers, then we do have to hire people, and once we hire people we pay them, so that takes out of our money that we raise. Volunteers are wonderful. We love our volunteers.”

The kettles will be placed around Selma at different stores, giving shoppers many opportunities to pitch in.

“Starting Friday [kettles] will be out all over,” Brech said. “We have eight different locations that we’re going to utilize, but you’ll be hearing bells ringing all over town.”

Allen said he encourages anyone that has time to sign up to ring the bell.

“We want the citizens of Selma and Dallas County to know that we’re at it again, and we need all your support,” he said.

Anyone interested in giving a helping hand can call the Salvation Army at 872-1646 or Allen at 407-8746.