There were nine shifts a day for a total of 864 shifts to cover in 2018 for Salvation Army bell ringers in Carlton County.
According to Salvation Army social worker Dave Westerberg, it has been a tough few years. The Kettle Campaign was better than last year due to a more mild winter, he said.
The Salvation Army has been without a kettle coordinator - a paid position - the last two years, so Westerberg must add that to his already busy schedule. No one applied for the job when it was posted.
The money collected from the kettles stays in Carlton County and helps residents with emergency assistance such as energy, rent and gas vouchers, as well as the food shelf.
"We understand that things happen. Most people live paycheck to paycheck; they don't have a buffer," Westerberg said. "So if a transmission goes or a tire blows or anything like that, that's it."