ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Christmas season brings a familiar ringing of bells at Salvation Army donation kettles, along with some familiar faces who have stood year after year beside those kettles and asked people to extend the holiday spirit to those in need.

Fred Conrad of Bellaire has been on kettle duty for about five years at various merchants’ storefronts. He said he often volunteers for the organization.

“I volunteer. I do things for them, I help out. Sometimes here, sometimes at the warehouse,” he said, adding that ringing the bells on kettle-duty is especially enjoyable. “I rather like it. You’re helping people and you see some of these people come in (the stores) and you see the nicer side of people. You don’t always get a chance to do that.”

Conrad hearing those bells calls up pleasant memories even during chilly nights.

“When you let one of the little kids ring the bell and you see a smile on their face, or when they put the money in, you help them get it into the kettle properly and you tell them ‘Good job!’ and you get a smile,” he said, adding that the Salvation Army kettles were a feature of the holidays when he was growing up as well.

“I like doing this, it sort of cheers me up and I’ve always loved Christmas,” he said.

Tim Murphy and wife Brenda Burch of Martins Ferry have been ringing the bells for 18 and 17 year,s respectively.

“It’s a good charity for the kids for Christmas, helping people out when there’s fires and stuff like that,” Murphy said.

“It’s something to do,” Burch said.

“We’ve been doing several stores over 18 years, and we just enjoy doing it and we’re out here practically every year, God’s willing,” Murphy said, adding they have been stationed at sites such as WalMart, Rural King, Kroger, and Sears. “We just enjoy doing it, just to help people out. It gets pretty chilly at night. We’re mainly out here because it just makes us feel good. The heart’s warm.”

They and Conrad said times may be tight, but the season also brings out the generosity in people.

“It is nice to know there are people out there who, despite the economy, will donate and help out people who are in need of some help,” Conrad said.

“Especially around Christmas time,” Murphy said. “I think the generosity’s still out there, but it’s cold. … I just love helping people out.”

They advise anyone interested in volunteering to connect with the Salvation Army, located at 315 37th St., Bellaire. The phone number is 740-676-6225.

“Just check with Major (Louis) Patrick,” Conrad said. “Sometimes we get short of bell-ringers and I’m sure he’d be willing to talk to people who might want to do it.”

“We got a lot of good volunteer bell ringers out there,” Murphy said. “Mr. Patrick’s really a nice guy, and we all just work together as a team,” Murphy said.