DENVER—The Salvation Army red kettle campaign has been around for 125 years, and Merrill Fie has been there, ringing his bell, for almost half of them.
“People are amazing,” Fie said. “And people in Denver are especially generous.”
Fie is the longest serving bell ringer in Denver—and he takes a different approach than most.
He uses a coffee can, and large cowbell that originally belonged to his grandfather. The Swiss-made bell is from 1896, and seems to attract attention.
“Some of the neighbors down here don’t like us in some of the corners because it’s too loud,” Fie said.
Along with his bell and coffee can, Fie brings his family. This year, five families took their posts at corners up and down Denver’s 16th Street Mall.
“It’s so gratifying that our kids and grandkids want to come down,” Fie said. “I hope that it’s ongoing—my family might do this for 100 years.”
Liz Stillwell, Fie’s granddaughter, flew to Denver from Georgia just in time for the tradition. She’s been doing this for 21 years.
“I think we were cuter as kids though,” Stillwell said. “We made a lot more money as kids—now we have to work harder.”
This year, the family made more than $32,000 from donors and from friends of the Fie family.
All of the money will go to the Salvation Army, towards Denver metro based programs and services.
