ALTON - Taylor and Lily Freer have added to their long history of community service as the co-chairs of this year’s Salvation Army Tree of Lights campaign in Alton. Taylor is a senior at Alton High School, while Lily is a freshman. The girls are asking for help to meet the Salvation Army bell-ringing goal this year.
The two girls have raised thousands of dollars for the United Way's Community Christmas campaign. Taylor and Lily had this to say on Tuesday morning: “We are requesting your help in ringing bells for Salvation Army. This is a great undertaking, and we want the campaign to be successful. There are approximately 1,500 slots that need to be filled with volunteers.
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"For every 2 hours you volunteer, you will raise enough money to feed a family of four for a week. Please help light the star on top of the Tree of Lights with a successful campaign.”
When Salvation Army Advisory Council Chairman Kevin Botterbush announced that Taylor and Lily Freer would be this year’s Tree of Lights Co-Chairs, he said it was exciting for the local Corps.
“Taylor and Lily come from a family with a long history of community service,” Botterbush said. “The girls are daughters of Tim and Carrie Freer and granddaughters of advisory board member Margaret Freer and husband Mike along with Mickie Boomershine. The girls are looking forward to a successful and fun campaign.
"Taylor and Lily have been bell ringers for many years. They know first hand the great needs of families in our community and the impact the Corps make on the community.”
The campaign begins November 26 and runs thru December 24. Hours of ringing are from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. There is no bell ringing on Sundays.
You can sign up to ring by going to registertoring.com and selecting the location and entering your information. It will take 150 volunteers to cover all of the time slots and locations.
Corp Officers Captains Cassy and Sean Gray, new to the area, are excited to be in Alton and excited to be a part of the campaign.
“The girls have hit the ground running and there are amazing opportunities for the community to get involved," Captain Sean Gray said.
