Times may be tough for many residents, but they're still filling the Salvation Army's red kettles.
"Donations are steady, about the same as last year," said Maj. Kent Davis, commander of the Salvation Army in Hickory.
"It is a tough time, but compared to last year, we're doing OK. This community is a giving community."
The kettle fund is the Salvation Army's primary money source.
The red kettles are placed at many businesses and public places where volunteers ring the familiar bells to call attention to the kettles.
This year, the bells that many people associate with Christmas shopping will ring until about 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
By then, stores will begin to close and only those people who have put off shopping until the last minute will be rushing to find gifts.
Although kettle collections are keeping pace with last Christmas, Davis said the Hickory Salvation Army is looking at around a 20 percent increase in needed services.
"More people need help," he said. "There are all kinds of needs — help with fuel bills, food, shelter, clothing.
"We are seeing something we've not seen much in the past. People have the means to buy fuel oil, but their heaters have worn out and they don't have the money to fix them or buy new ones.
"With the economy, it's understandable why more people need our help."
Even if this year's kettle collections don't meet the extra 20 percent in demand, Davis said he feels comforted because of the generosity people have shown in spite of a struggling economy.
"We still have a base we can rely on (the kettles and the people who fill them).
"God's going to take care of us," Davis said, again noting the caring spirit of the community and his faith in the future.
"God will provide."
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