By Bobbie Lehrmann, Assistant Director of Public Communications
College Station Mayor John Nichols and Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez will once again participate in the Salvation Army of the Brazos Valley’s annual Christmas campaign on Saturday, Dec. 13, collecting donations at local Walmart stores to support Brazos County families in need.
From noon-5 p.m., Mayor Nichols and City Council members will be stationed at the College Station Walmart, ringing the iconic bell and greeting shoppers as they drop donations into the famous red kettle.
If your plans include a trip to Walmart, be sure to stop and say hello to Mayor Nichols and donate your spare change or a few extra dollars. Every contribution directly supports the Salvation Army’s vital local programs, including food assistance, emergency shelter, and resources for individuals and families facing hardship during the holiday season and throughout the year.
If you can’t make it in person, you can donate online through the Virtual Red Kettle:
The Mayor Ring-Off is more than just a friendly holiday tradition — it’s a reminder of the generosity and giving spirit that define our community. Together, we can help make the season brighter for our neighbors who need it most.
About the Red Kettle
In the United States, the red kettles at Thanksgiving and Christmas have grown from their modest beginnings in San Francisco, yet their influence remains significant. They help The Salvation Army do the most good for nearly 30 million people each year.
The tradition of the red kettle started with Joseph McFee, the Salvation Army’s captain in San Francisco, in December 1891. He was determined to provide a free Christmas dinner for the city’s poor, but he needed a way to raise funds. As he thought about this problem, his mind wandered back to his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England. He remembered seeing a large pot where passersby could donate charity.
He got permission to put a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing the next day. That started a tradition that has since spread across the United States and around the world.
By Christmas 1895, the kettle was in use at 30 Salvation Army locations along the West Coast. The tradition kept growing, and kettle donations in different places provided Christmas dinners for those in need. Today, these red kettles are not just a symbol of the holiday season but also a lifeline for millions of people.
Red kettle donations support shelters, after-school programs, addiction recovery initiatives, summer camps, disaster relief, and other social services. The kettles are placed worldwide, spreading the spirit of Christmas to those who might otherwise be forgotten – from the elderly and lonely to those in jails, institutions, and the less fortunate in our communities.
About the Blogger
Bobbie Lehrmann is in her third year as assistant director of public communications. She previously served as marketing and communications director at the City of Navasota. Lehrmann lived most of her life in Australia and received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media communications from Queensland University of Technology.
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