cktimes.ca Archives for The Pastoral Lens
The Pastoral Lens
Sally Ann Sociology
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
At this time of year, as we make our rounds of the various grocery and retail outlets of our communities, we see the familiar Salvation Army kettles. Volunteers manning these kettles are there to receive our donations to help assist the Army with their Christmas hamper program, as well as expenses for the food bank and family services throughout the year. Needless to say, the funds they receive are vital to the continuance of their ministry to the needy of our communities, a list which is growing all the time.Last year, a colleague of mine was volunteering at one of the kettles. He later called me to talk about his experience. He said that his 2-hour shift turned into an interesting sociological experiment. What he observed was how people averted his eye contact if they passed the kettle without contributing. I want to say right here that it is not a sin to pass the kettle without putting something in. Many, especially this year, are finding things much tighter with the economy the way it is. Nevertheless, there are many others who make their spending choices in abundance, but then have excuses why they can't give. Based on my friend's observations, and with a little bit of humour, I share some of the most common excuses that people give for keeping their wallet closed to the kettle:
1. Tossing the alibi in lieu of the toonie -- "Hey, things are tight this year and I just can't afford it." The kettle attendant smiles warmly as the patron struggles to go past with the load of parcels overflowing their cart. Translation: I spent so much on 'stuff' that there's nothing left over for the needy.
2. Ceiling tile sensation -- In a half-hearted attempt to avoid eye contact with the kettle volunteer, the patron glances up awkwardly at the ceiling, as if some sort of neon sign were blazing out an urgent telegram for them. Included in this category is the myth (passionately believed by the patron) that if eye contact is avoided, it somehow counts as, "Oops, I never even knew there was a kettle in this store! I mean, you're kidding, right? I didn't see one as I shopped there today."
3. Absolution for services rendered -- There are those who feel the need to engage the kettle volunteer in conversation, being careful to inform the unsuspecting Sally Ann helper that "I'm on the Wal-Mart kettle tomorrow" or "I know how you feel. I was covering this kettle yesterday." My question is, "Did you eat yesterday for today, or did you eat both days?" C'mon, folks, this one's pretty lame.
4. Waste not, give not -- This person refuses to give because back in the late 70's they heard about a person who got 2 hampers, selling the 2nd one for a profit on E-Bay (which wasn't invented yet). Yeah, yeah, and you've never wasted a single thing in your life, either, right? Explain your over-sensitive frugality to a single mom who can't make ends meet, yet who doesn't cheat the system. Mistakes are made and we learn from them and move on. Let's give the benefit of the doubt.
5. I gave last year -- Right, and who didn't? How else would the Salvation Army have helped so many people? But hey, this is a new year and we have new needs. Go back to #3.
There are likely many more scenarios and excuses, but this is just a smattering. No offense is aimed, only a little bit of humour to get a point across. Let's do all that we can to help those in need this Christmas season. I know that times are tight, but people are in need and we can't ignore them.
