‘Be like Chad’ and register to ring
The phrase “Be like Mike” was a commercial success when Gatorade teamed up with Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan. Kids hit the court and wanted to be just like Mike.
If Jordan is the king of the court, then Willmar’s Chad Koosman is the king of the kettle.
“Please sign up to bell ring and get me out of here,” Koosman said recently while he sat, and spun around the middle of the rotating entrance to the local Cash Wise grocery store (pictured above).
It’s just the latest in a growing list of Koosman stunts–all designed to inspire you to bell ring and support The Salvation Army.
On the unseasonably warm day, he could have used a couple of gallons of Gatorade after spinning for hours inside the enclosed glass turn style. As the temperature rose, the windows fogged, and Koosman sweated it out.
But he did it. He convinced 120 people to sign up to bell ring and raise money for The Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign. A huge accomplishment considering the average kettle raises about $30 per hour.
The stunt is far from Koosman’s first and likely won’t be his last.
Nearly a decade ago, as a Salvation Army volunteer bell ringer, he wanted to raise more money than anybody else at a kettle. But he had a challenger–there was another volunteer in town who set out on the same mission. The two went head-to-head for days.
“I started ringing that bell everyday,” smiled Koosman. “I’d ring four hours, he’d ring six, I’d ring six hours, he’d ring nine, I couldn’t catch up.”
The battle continued, until Koosman finally gave up, but he didn’t give in.
Inspired to figure out a bigger, better way to raise money, he came up with a new idea.
In 2007, Koosman put up a few hundred Christmas lights at his home – a relatively small display that he figured would attract a few people. He put a kettle out, rang the bell and people dropped money in the kettle.
Anybody who stopped to view the lights, was encouraged to donate and the first year he raised $800. If you do the math, $800 is more than 25 hours of bell ringing and Koosman knew he was on to something.
The next year the lights were bigger and better and donations increased. Koosman’s single kettle brought in $19,500. The following year, even more lights were added and more donations rolled in.
By 2015, his light show was so impressive it was featured on a national television show and raised more than $164,000.
Imagine all the good that The Salvation Army could do if there were more volunteers like Chad.
“Be like Chad,” well maybe not exactly like Chad, but volunteering for two hours to bell ring is a great start.
Two hours of your time at a kettle is enough for The Salvation Army to buy three days worth of groceries for a family of four, or provide two days worth of food and shelter for a person experiencing homelessness.
Please join The Salvation Army by volunteering or making a donation. Your donation will support The Salvation Army’s efforts in your billing ZIP code.