How much did Modesto kettle keeper raise in 20 years? Salvation Army tells, offers thanks
When Paul Voorhees rings his bell for the very last time this Christmas Eve at a Modesto Raley’s, The Salvation Army expects he will have raised more than $184,000 for it in 20 years as a red kettle keeper.
Voorhees, 58, has been a fixture at the Raley’s at Tully Road and Standiford Avenue for the last 17 of those 20 years. And on Wednesday, a contingent from The Salvation Army and the grocery store thanked him.
Salvation Army Capt. Samuel Snyder presented Voorhees with a plaque. Voorhees also got a goodie bag stuffed with a box of chocolates, gift cards, a Salvation Army coffee mug, homemade treats and a tiny red bell.
Stephanie Franco, the store’s operations team leader, also was on hand. Franco has worked at the store for a quarter century and has known Voorhees during his entire tenure there.
“Paul is just an amazing individual,” she said. “He is so caring and considerate. His personality is infectious to all our customers, as well as our team members. He’s just a one-of-a-kind guy. ... It’s just not going to be the same without him. We consider him like a team member. We invite him to our team functions during the holidays.”
Voorhees was a little flustered by the attention. “I’m just overwhelmed,” he said when asked for his reaction.
Voorhees said he is on disability and has autism. He said in an interview before Wednesday’s ceremony that he worked as a bell ringer all these years because he believes in The Salvation Army’s mission and the good it does in the community.
He used to live near the Raley’s but moved to Turlock about a decade ago. He lives there with his mother.
Voorhees said he earns $15 an hour as a bell ringer but after 20 years it’s time to hang up his bell, especially because — including his travel time by bus — these add up to 12-hour days, six days a week, over the army’s roughly month-long fundraising campaign.
But Voorhees said he’ll keep ringing his bell until his final shift ends 6 p.m. Friday.
This story was originally published December 24, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
