Christmas Eve is a time to cherish your friends, family, and loved ones. Holidays are also known as the time of year where we encourage giving– not just of gifts, but of charitable donations.

Because this was my first Christmas in Nebraska (and away from my family), I wanted to do something special with my Christmas Eve that would allow me to give back to the community.

Lincoln was recently rated the fourth most giving city in a ranking done by Travelocity. The list cites Lincoln’s charitable spirit and philanthropic efforts– something I have felt and seen since I have been here. The radio station where I work, 1400 KLIN, was generous enough to complete Random Acts of Christmas throughout this month. Although I really enjoyed taking part in that, I wanted to do something more on my own.

I had talked with Major Jamie Pennington of the Salvation Army for news stories and was told by him multiple times that they were in need of bell ringers for the holiday season. I decided a great way to spend my Christmas Eve would be to ring the bell for the Salvation Army.

Stationed in front of a grocery store in Midtown Lincoln, I rang the bell for several hours while playing some classic Christmas tunes. I was amazed by the generosity of others– of course I was expecting some change to be put in the red kettle, but people were donating 5, 10, even 20 dollar bills!

One young lady went inside and bought me a warm beverage to keep my spirits up, which was a delightful surprise. Overall, the experience was very rewarding. I hope to make ringing the bell on Christmas Eve a new tradition for years to come.