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With a week left in the bell-ringing season, the leader of the Albert Lea Salvation Army is asking community members to consider taking time to fill many gaps in the volunteer bell-ringing schedule.

The organization, as of Saturday morning, had raised just over $31,000 — only about a third of its kettle goal for the season, said Capt. Marie Lewis.

She said the last week before Christmas is usually the busiest in terms of donations, but she is worried because of all of the openings in the schedule. She said only about one-third of the hours at the kettles will be manned.

Kettles are at Walmart, Hy-Vee, Bomgaars and Big Lots, with ringers at Walmart standing outside and the ringers at the other three locations inside or in the breezeway between doors.

She said the Walmart location has the potential to be a large moneymaker when it is staffed, and with warmer-than-normal temperatures, it wouldn’t be bad if people planned for it by dressing appropriately with gloves, hats and a warm jacket.

“If we could get Walmart booked, that’s a big deal with the traffic going in and out,” Lewis said.

“We can’t leave the kettle there if nobody’s there. We had some gorgeous days, and nobody’s there.”

A match is available for donations that come in through the kettle.

She encouraged people to go online to sign up to ring at www.registertoring.com. From the website, people should put in Albert Lea’s zip code and it will take them to the openings.

People can also call the Salvation Army Corps office at 507-373-8776 and ask for Lewis. If she is not available, she said she will get back to them soon after.

“We appreciate all those that want to get out there and help us out — both the donations and those ringing,” Lewis said. “We can’t do it without you.”

She said the Salvation Army is grateful for the community’s support during the Christmas season and throughout the year.

In addition to the cash donations at the kettle, the Salvation Army is accepting credit card donations at the Hy-Vee location this year, and she hopes the program will grow more in the future.

The organization’s last day for ringing will be Saturday, Dec. 23.