It's a sound of the holidays we've come to expect... a ringing bell that signals a time to help the needy. Friday marks the official start of the Salvation Army's Annual Kettle campaign. The tradition began as a San Francisco fundraiser in 1891. Since then, the Red Kettle campaign has spread across the United States and the world. Ed Hartsell with the Pitt County chapter of the Salvation Army says their goal this year is to raise 100-thousand dollars. Hartsell says that money will be used to pay utility and water bills for those in need. Bell ringers will be collecting donations at retailers throughout Eastern Carolina.
