Ringing bells and manning a red kettle for the Salvation Army is no longer a job reserved for volunteers.
The charity began as an evangelical outreach group in 1865, aimed at addressing poverty and lack of religion in some of London's poorest neighborhoods. For most of its history, the Salvation Army has relied on volunteers for services such as holiday bell ringing.
However, according to Paul Moore, the group's Dane County coordinator, a lack of volunteers has led the group to explore new methods of fundraising.
""It really comes down to being a business decision and deciding what's good for the Salvation Army,"" he said, adding that paid bell ringers earn $6.50 per hour.
Up to this point, the Salvation Army has collected far less through red kettle donations in 2006 than it had at this time last year.
Development Director Ruth Ann Schoer said the group usually employs ""needy people"" as bell ringers, and argued that the payment is a form of charity in and of itself.
Moore agreed, noting that the group often turns away prospective bell ringers based on criminal and employment histories.
""Many people approach us about jobs,"" Moore said. ""Most of them [are] low income people just looking to make some money around Christmas.""
Schoer said increased consumerism in the Madison area has led directly to the need for more bell ringers. She said volunteers still make up the bulk of the workforce, but that busy shopping days at places like Woodman's, 725 S. Gammon Rd., and Shopko, 7401 Mineral Point Rd., have made paid ringers a must.
According to the Salvation Army's website, the group employs more than 3.5 million volunteers nationwide. There are approximately 3,500 volunteers ringing bells for the Salvation Army in Madison this year.
