Local celebrities ring in the holiday season for The Salvation Army’s 2013 Red Kettle Campaign

Dec 6, 2013

Media personalities and community leaders across southeastern Michigan will join together on Saturday, Dec. 7, for the inaugural Salvation Army Celebrity Bell Ringer Day. From 10 a.m. to noon, these local celebrities will spread holiday cheer by ringing a bell alongside The Salvation Army’s iconic red kettles to help raise awareness for the 2013 Red Kettle Campaign, The Salvation Army’s largest fundraiser of the year. 

The public is invited to visit their favorite on-air personalities and local dignitaries at one of more than 45 retail and supermarket kettle locations across southeast Michigan. Visitors are welcome to ask for autographs or take photographs with their favorite celebrity in exchange for a red kettle donation.  

Celebrities will be ringing to fill kettles at the following locations:

Television

• Fox 2 News’ Amy Andrews at the valet entrance of Oakland Mall in Troy
• WDIV Local 4 News’ Lauren Podell at Carson’s at Partridge Creek Mall in Clinton Twp.
• WXYZ Channel 7 Action News’ 
  • Alexandra Bahou & Leonora Vukdedaj at Westborn Market on Woodward Ave. in Berkley
  • Alicia Smith at Marketfresh on Southfield Rd. in Beverly Hills
  • Kim Craig at Walmart on Ford Rd. in Canton
  • Chris Edwards at Sam’s Club on 8 Mile Rd. in Southfield
  • Vic Faust at Walmart on Ingersol Dr. in Novi
  • Glenda Lewis & Nima Shaffe at Hiller’s Market on Union Lake Rd. in Commerce Twp.
  • JoAnne Purtan, with local band Rio & the Rockabilly Revival, at Macy’s in Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi
  • CBS62’s 
  • Jim Madaus at Sideways on Forest Ave. in Plymouth

Radio

• WWJ Newsradio 950’s
• Tom Jordan at VG’s on E. Grand River Ave. in Brighton
• Beth Fisher at Kroger on Greenfield in Southfield
• Mix 92.3 WMXD’s Mr. Chase at Kroger on W. 12 Mile Rd. in Southfield
• 94.7 WCSX’s Doug Podell at Kroger on 23 Mile Rd. in Shelby
• FM 98 WJLB’s Foolish at City Loft on Woodward Ave. in Detroit
• 99.5 WYCD’s Rachael Hunter at Kroger on Marter Rd. in St. Clair Shores
• Channel 955’s Shannon Murphy and husband Andrew McCuiston, owner of the Goldfish Swim School franchise, at Walmart on W. Maple in Troy
• 100.3 WNIC’s Theresa Lucas at The Salvation Army Thrift Store on Grand River Rd. in Brighton
• 101 WRIF’s Screamin’ Scott at Walmart on Gratiot in Roseville
• Michigan Radio’s Cynthia Canty at Kroger on Coolidge Highway in Troy
• 102.9 W4 Country’s Brian (Bubba) Cowan at Macy’s in Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor
• 104.3 WOMC’s 
• Shehzeen Ahmed at Kroger on W. 12 Mile Rd. in Farmington Hills
• Beau at Kroger on E. Monroe St. in Dundee
• Cassandra Bishop at Kroger on Middlebelt Rd. in Westland
• Rhonda Brooks at Kroger on W. 8 Mile Rd. in Livonia
• Scott Buie, with carolers from Northville High School, at Kroger on Haggerty Rd. in Northville
• Stacey DuFord at Kroger on E. Long Lake in Troy
• Dave Fuller at Kroger on Eureka Rd. in Southgate
• Holly Hutton at Kroger on 23 Mile Rd. in New Baltimore
• Bobby Mitchell at Kroger on W. Maple Rd. in Bloomfield
• Laura Robinson at Kroger on 18 Mile Rd. in Sterling Heights
• Aimee Spencer at Kroger on South Blvd. in Troy
• Karen (KT) Trombley at Kroger on Crocker in Harrison Twp.
• Kelly Turner at Kroger on Union Lake Rd. in Commerce Twp.
• Twizzler at Kroger on 23 Mile Rd. in Macomb

Print & Online Publications

• Ann Arbor Observer Editor John Hilton at JCPenney at Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor
• Heritage Newspapers Editor Austen Smith at Busch’s on Michigan Ave. in Saline

Community Leaders

• Miss Michigan USA Stephanie Rushlow at JCPenney in Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor
• Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton at Macy’s in Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor
•  Ann Arbor Fire Department at Nickel’s Arcade on State St. in Ann Arbor
• Ann Arbor City Council Members
• Sabra Briere at Sears in Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor
• Stephen Kunselman at Macy’s in Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor
• Ann Arbor City Administrator Steve Powers at JCPenney in Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor
• Ypsilanti Fire Department at Kroger on E. Michigan Ave. in Ypsilanti
• Milan City Council Member Brett Moyer at Kroger on Main St. in Milan

“We’re thrilled with the tremendous support of so many influential members of our community to simultaneously man our kettles for our first Celebrity Bell Ringer Day,” said Colonel Dennis Strissel, commander of The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division. “They’re helping to bring great awareness to this vital annual campaign. The funds raised during this inaugural event will go directly to helping our neighbors in need this holiday season. We are grateful to everyone for volunteering their precious time.”

The Salvation Army’s red kettles will remain at storefronts through Dec. 24. Monetary donations can be made at any of the 470 kettle locations throughout southeast Michigan. All donations collected through the Red Kettle Campaign benefit local families and individuals in the communities they are given. 

Tax deductible donations to The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign can also be made by:

• Dontating On-Line
• Calling 877-SAL-MICH
• Texting “SALMICH” to 80888* (an automatic $10 donation)
• Sending a check or money order, made payable to The Salvation Army to:
  16130 Northland Dr., Southfield, MI 48075