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The towering spires and ornate interior of Savannah’s Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist make this an impressive neo-Gothic city landmark year-round, but every December the site is further embellished with Christmas decorations like scores of poinsettias, oversized wreaths, and a grand-scale miniature model of several Biblical scenes surrounding the birth of Christ.

This December, the Cathedral Basilica unveiled another embellishment effort that is set to continue until around next Christmastime – the complete refurbishment of a long-neglected lower-level chapel, transforming it from an austere multipurpose room into a graceful hall with vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows to host varied functions amid an ambience that complements the distinguished setting upstairs.

The new meeting space will be called Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven) Hall, which is the title inscribed above the ground-level chapel’s decorative entrance on Harris Street. With the hall’s interior now demolished, the refurbishment is expected to last one year and cost approximately $4,750,000, according to Cathedral Basilica Rector Rev. J. Gerard Schreck.

“We need a place where people can gather, and we don’t really have a space,” Schreck said of the Catholic congregation’s reasoning behind launching the chapel-refurbishment project. “We really have no place for a reception or anything like that.”

The Regina Coeli Hall was last renovated in the late 1930s under the leadership of Monsignor T. James McNamara to provide the parish with a place to hold meetings and bazaars, Schreck said. However, as the onset of World War II limited resources available to the congregation, the chapel-refurbishment efforts were kept modest with features like drop ceilings and plain walls.

“He wanted to convert the downstairs to a chapel, which he did, but the war intervened,” Schreck said of McNamara. As a youth growing up in Savannah, Schreck recalls attending varied church functions in the unostentatious Regina Coeli Hall, which was often used for services during summer months to escape the heat that filled the Cathedral before air conditioning was installed. “Masses were held downstairs from just after Easter to October.”

A major restoration project was completed in November of 2000 to revive the main Cathedral interior, but the Regina Coeli Hall was left untouched by this effort, Schreck said. While the ground-level chapel’s renovation had been under consideration for a long time now, the decision to move ahead was partly prompted by the decree of Pope Francis earlier this year bestowing the Minor Basilica title on Savannah’s Cathedral.

“It’s a place of historical importance, and it’s a place of pilgrimage for Catholics around the world,” Schreck said of the Cathedral Basilica, adding that before the pandemic struck, the Savannah landmark was welcoming up to 300,000 visitors annually, and is often used for weddings and other special occasions.

The refurbished Regina Coeli Hall will have capacity for 600 people, and be equipped with screens to livestream simulcasts of major Cathedral Basilica events to overflow crowds. Additionally, the hall will feature preparation space for weddings, a meeting room, a catering kitchen, new restrooms, a vesting area for visiting priests, and an enhanced adoration chapel. Additionally, the lower-level hall is accessible with the church elevator, and natural light will flow inside through the courtyard.

While the Cathedral Basilica does not need to launch a formal capital campaign to raise funds for the Regina Coeli Hall refurbishment, Schreck said that parishioners are being asked to donate whatever they can to the effort, and added this project also presents a rare facility-naming opportunity for donors who are able to provide larger sums.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist dates back to the late 18th century, when French Catholic émigrés settled in Savannah following the French Revolution and were granted use of a lot on Liberty Square in 1799 to build the congregation’s original frame church, according to the Cathedral Basilica’s historical accounts.

In 1873, construction began on the Cathedral Basilica’s current site, and was completed in 1896 – but only two years later the Cathedral caught fire, with only the outer walls and spires surviving. Undaunted by this disaster, parish leadership announced a reconstruction effort while the embers were still smoldering, and the Cathedral seen today was completed in 1900.

With such historic travails in mind to provide a long-term perspective, Schreck and other Cathedral Basilica leaders are looking forward to the resumption of large-scale gatherings after the pandemic subsides, when the nave will again be able to hold 1,000 people and the Regina Coeli Hall can soon welcome more than half that number. For now, a maximum of 250 people are allowed inside at once, restricting the Cathedral’s Christmas Mass events this year.

“We’ve roped off every other pew to provide the distancing that we need,” Schreck said. “There is a maximum number of people that can attend the services.”

To accommodate as many parishioners as possible for Yuletide ceremonies, this year the Cathedral Basilica will hold an additional Christmas Mass on Dec. 24, according to Schreck. The Christmas Eve services will be held at 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 10 p.m., while Christmas Day Mass will be held at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. – and all of these services will be livestreamed as well.

“We livestream Mass each weekend,” Schreck said, adding that many parishioners have become quite comfortable with joining Cathedral Basilica services online throughout the pandemic. “People have rightly gotten used to being home.”

Nonetheless, Schreck believes that once COVID-19 is no longer a widespread threat and in-person services can resume, parishioners and visitors will gladly flock to the Cathedral Basilica to experience the landmark’s awe-inspiring setting once again.

“What we realized is how important it is for people to be present,” Schreck said of gatherings within the Cathedral Basilica – and soon after the holy site is expected to again be filled to capacity, the extra space in the Regina Coeli Hall will welcome even more people within a setting that matches the grandeur of the upstairs sanctuary.

“This space needs to be a beautiful space,” Schreck said of the Regina Coeli Hall. “The upper church is magnificent, and it needs to be an appropriate complement to that.”

Visit savannahcathedral.org for more details on Savannah’s Cathedral Basilica and the Regina Coeli Hall restoration project.

The pandemic may threaten to detract from the holiday season’s joy, but the spirit of Kwanzaa prevails as community leaders in Savannah find ways for locals to honor the seven-day celebration.

Kwanzaa is an African American and pan-African holiday that is celebrated annually during Dec. 26-Jan. 1. In the words of Kwanzaa’s founder, Dr. Maulana Karenga, “Each year Kwanzaa provides us with a special and unique time to see and celebrate ourselves as African people in beautiful, uplifting, and liberating ways.”

To observe Kwanzaa this year, Savannah leaders are organizing events that give the community options to celebrate from the comfort of their own homes or in socially distanced settings on each night of Kwanzaa.

Lisa Jackson, the education coordinator for the Savannah African Arts Museum, has organized various virtual workshops demonstrating the creation of African art, such as masks and dolls. The series culminates with the Kwanzaa Assemblage workshop.

“An assemblage is a great way to share your story with family, friends, and community during Kwanzaa. It can be given as a gift, displayed on a table, framed, or hung as a Kwanzaa decoration that you may choose to add elements to each year,” said Jackson.

All of the workshops will be available throughout the Kwanzaa holiday on the African Arts Museum website; visit savannahafricanartmuseum.org//2020-workshops/12-1 to learn more.

Kwanzaa is also significant in that it was founded in response to violence against, as well as within, the African American community, according to Savannah Alderwoman Kesha Gibson-Carter.

“More than 50 years ago, Kwanzaa was created in response to community riots in Los Angeles,” Gibson-Carter said. “In the face of increased homicide in Savannah among our African American youth, particularly boys and men, I thought it would be fitting to highlight our culture on a broader stage, to remind our young men and women of how valuable they are, evoke love, and help them to understand the responsibility they have to our ancestors who fought for so many of the freedoms they enjoy today.”

Gibson-Carter has teamed up with Savannah State University Professor Jamal Touré and community activist Lillian Grant-Baptiste to launch the city’s first-ever Kwanzaa Krawl.

The goal of the Kwanzaa Krawl is to increase economic activity for Black-owned restaurants, showcase artists, and support local nonprofit organizations. Participants can support the restaurants by dining there, with the option to bid on displayed works by local artists.

During these celebrations, Touré and Baptiste will offer demonstrations of Kwanzaa’s seven principles, the Nguzo Saba. During Kwanzaa, families traditionally light a candle each day for seven days in observation of each of these seven principles: Ujoma, meaning unity; Kujichagulia, meaning self-determination; Ujima, meaning collective work and responsibility; Ujamaa, meaning cooperative economics; Nia, meaning purpose; Kuumba, meaning creativity; and Imani, meaning faith.

“It’s about us coming together in unity, cooperative economics, collective work, and responsibility − a divine purpose with our faith being etched into all stones of self-determination,” said Touré.

During each Kwanzaa Krawl event, a limited number of participants will be allowed into the restaurants to abide by social distancing guidelines and other COVID-19 precautions, so reservations are recommended.

Savannah’s Kwanzaa Krawl celebrations will be happening at the following local restaurants between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.: Odyssey 2.0 (65 W. Fairmont Ave.) on Dec. 26; 520 Tavern (8820 Abercorn St.) on Dec. 27; Kool Vibes (4501 Montgomery St.) on Dec. 28; 2 Chefs (2005/2007 Martin Luther King Blvd.) on Dec. 29; Belford’s (315 W. St. Julian St.) on Dec. 30; Unforgettable Bakery and Café (238 Eisenhower Dr.) on Dec. 31; and Liquid Café (10201 Abercorn St.) on Dec. 31.

The Beach Institute will also be hosting virtual Kwanzaa candle-lighting ceremonies to honor the holiday’s seven principles every evening from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1; visit this website or call 912-335-8868 for more information.

A chilly downtown Savannah was buzzing with holiday cheer and four-legged friends sporting reindeer antlers, sparkling collars, and cozy sweaters for the city’s 2020 holiday-edition Pack Walk to highlight local foster dogs on Friday, Dec. 18.

Pack Walk was created by Renegade Paws Rescue founder Jen Taylor, and is intended to bring the community together and help socialize foster dogs. Current and former Renegade foster dogs, along with anyone who wants to participate, are welcome to join in on outdoor group dog walks held by the organization year round.

The holiday walk began at Forsyth Park’s fountain with boozy hot chocolate for adults and “puppuccinos” for their furry partners. A large group of mask- and ugly-sweater-wearing humans and dogs then made their way up Bull Street to the city’s Christmas tree on Broughton Street.

Organizer Cody Shelley says Pack Walk is a relaxed event and a great way to build a dog’s social skills. She also says it’s not uncommon for attendees to fall in love on a Pack Walk.

“Many of the foster dogs that come are up for adoption,” Shelley said. “We have meet-and-greets and adoptions at Pack Walk regularly.”

Participants don’t have to be dog owners to enjoy Pack Walk. In fact, they don’t even have to be from Savannah.

Chana Widawski was in town from New York City on Dec. 18 to encourage Georgians to vote in the state’s Jan. 5 U.S. Senate runoff election, before learning about Friday’s Pack Walk. Renegade organizers brought Banjo, a former foster dog, for Widawski to walk for the evening.

Widawski says she organizes community events back at home, so she was excited to join Pack Walk and support a local animal rescue.

“These are the types of events that are what the world needs,” Wisawski said. “We need to come together and make connections and share experiences.”

Shelley was also thrilled to be downtown and enjoying the holiday spirit, something she says she’s been missing this year.

“This is a really beautiful, excellent-intentioned way to get together and enjoy the holidays and socialize a little bit,” Shelley said.

Renegade Paws Rescue is always looking for new foster families. Organizers also encourage pet owners to reach out about spay and neutering information.

To learn more, ask about fostering a dog, or donate to Renegade Paws Rescue, visit renegadepawsrescue.org or call 912-570-5032.

Georgia Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock added some glory to a Garden City rally on Saturday featuring a live performance by acclaimed hip-hop artist Common.

Warnock was campaigning in and around his native city of Savannah for the second Saturday in a row on Dec. 19, this time joined by Ossoff and Common during a Garden City stop on his “It’s Time To Vote” bus tour. Ossoff and Warnock are vying to unseat Georgia’s Republican U.S. Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in the Peach State’s nationally prominent Jan. 5, 2021 senate-runoff races, which will determine the balance of power in Washington, D.C. for the next two years.

“I’m so grateful to be back in my hometown of Savannah, Georgia, and I’ve decided to bring our brother Common with us,” Warnock said to the Saturday gathering of a few hundred people, many parked in their cars for the drive-up rally held with COVID-19 precautions. “I’m so glad he’s here and Jon is here, we wanted to take it up another level. You know, I put on for my city.”

Warnock went on to say that he would not forget about Savannah-area residents if elected.

“There’s no place like home,” Warnock said. “Savannah, Georgia, it’s been 150 years since we had a United States senator from Savannah. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s about time. When I get to the United States Senate, I will have Savannah on my mind.”

During his speech, Ossoff asserted that Perdue and Loeffler were more interested in their own personal enrichment than helping struggling Georgia residents.

“We are running against the Bonnie and Clyde of corruption in politics. Savannah, how did we wind up with David and Kelly?” Ossoff said. “Two United States senators more concerned with lining their own pockets in office than protecting the health and the financial well-being of we the people who pay their salary.”

Common performed some of his hit singles, including “The People”, “The Light”, and the Oscar-winning “Glory” featured in the 2014 film Selma. Prior to each song, he spoke about the relevance each one had to Georgia’s senate-runoff election.

“This glory is for those that came before us,” Common said. “Who strategized, who walked across bridges, who fed the children, who were hosed down, some were killed, dogs were sicced on them. They sacrificed their lives for us.”

After months of battling with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Chatham County healthcare professionals were among the first to receive coronavirus vaccinations on Tuesday soon after the first shipment of life-saving shots arrived in Savannah.

Healthcare professionals from the Chatham County Health Department, Memorial Health, St. Joseph’s/Candler, and Neuro Step Down were among the first Georgia residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday at the Health Department office on Savannah’s Eisenhower Drive. Candler Hospital also began vaccinating its employees on Tuesday after receiving 300 doses of the freshly approved Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey visited Savannah to praise the speed of the vaccine’s production. Kemp said that the first phase of the vaccine will go to vulnerable residents of nursing homes and healthcare workers during a press conference at Chatham’s Department of Public Health office Tuesday afternoon.

“Today, Dr. Toomey and I are thrilled to be here as we take this next step. The work done by the Trump administration, in Operation Warp Speed, to manufacture and deliver these vaccines has been nothing short of a miracle,” Kemp said.

Some of the first healthcare workers to receive vaccine doses expressed relief about the progress this signifies toward ending the pandemic.

“I am absolutely excited because it’s the light at the end of the tunnel for us. It signifies eradicating this disease,” said Terria Manning with the COVID Unit at St. Joseph’s. “I was lucky to be chosen to receive this vaccine today.”

While lauding the vaccine’s arrival, Kemp cautioned the public to continue practicing COVID-19 safety precautions to keep the virus at bay for the vast majority of the public that will not be immunized until well into 2021.

“The general public will not receive the vaccine for months, so we need everyone to hunker down and continue to follow the four things we’ve asked to limit the spread: wear your mask, wash your hands, continue to socially distance when you can, and continue to follow the guidance of public health officials,” Kemp said.

Approximately 600 healthcare providers have already signed up to distribute the vaccines, according to Toomey. During the first phase, 84,800 vaccine doses have already been allocated to hospitals and public-health facilities across the state, with 3,900 of those doses distributed to Chatham County health facilities, she said.

“All Georgians be patient, because even as we are excited about this vaccine campaign, we have relatively few vaccines initially to begin with,” Toomey said. “We’re also expecting Moderna vaccine will be approved as early as the end of this week, both by the FDA and the ACIP, with almost 174,000 doses.”

Toomey added that the Moderna vaccine does not require the same type of logistical challenges as the Pfizer vaccine – including storage within a -90° Fahrenheit freezer − and it will be more easily distributed to Georgia’s rural areas because it comes in smaller doses.

After the first phase of vaccinations are complete, the second phase will take care of nonclinical healthcare staff, pharmacy staff, court employees, nuclear plant operators, and essential workers.

“We are going to work hard to assure everybody that this vaccine is safe, effective, and really extremely important to everyone in the state so we can stop this pandemic now,” Toomey said.

Kemp also encouraged all Georgia residents to take the vaccine.

“It is critical for people to get vaccinated, because it has been proven not only to work at a very high rate but also to be very effective, so part of our job and part of Dr. Toomey’s job is to continue to convince people that we’re putting our money where our mouth is,” Kemp said.

Savannah’s Rev. Father Guillermo Arboleda joined three other faith leaders from across Georgia in a public call to encourage early voting in the Peach State’s Jan. 5, 2021 U.S. Senate runoff election during a Dec. 14 press conference.

Arboleda, the Priest-in-Charge of Savannah’s St. Matthews Episcopal Church, was speaking in support of early voting on behalf of Faith in Public Life, a national network of some 50,000 clergy members and faith leaders, in partnership with Stacey Abrams’ Fair Count organization.

“We people of faith need to realize that God is with us when we go to vote,” said Arboleda.

The Monday press conference came on the heels of a FAITH Weekend of Action providing faith-centered messages and volunteer events to encourage participation in Georgia’s runoff election.

Minister Shavonne Williams, the organizing ambassador of Faith in Public Life, reminded people to vote safely amid the ongoing pandemic.

Reverend Joshua Nelson of Emmanuel SDA Church in Augusta said “we’re exhausted but still pushing” after recalling challenges that Americans have faced during this voting season. He also mentioned how discouraging it is when people show up to vote but leave the lines due to improper planning for voter comfort, like rain shelters.

All leaders extended their enthusiasm for voter participation surrounding the upcoming election.

“I’m just really excited. We want to make sure that every voice is heard,” said Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean, vice president of Fair Count.

Lake Mayer Park in Savannah will soon have new resources that promote better health and quality of life.

The first of two “Healthy Hub” sites will be unveiled at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 1 at the park, located on Montgomery Crossroads in Savannah. Community leaders, along with representatives from the Savannah College of Art and Design, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Healthy Savannah will be in attendance. Lake Mayer is managed by the Chatham County Parks and Recreation division.

“Healthy Hub" is a place to go for resources that promote better health and quality of life for all. You can take or add items like books, pamphlets, canned food, and other health resources to share with the community,” said Nichele Hoskins, assistant director of Healthy Savannah. “It’s a little library with a healthy twist.”

The project that became Healthy Hub was the collective brainchild of nine SCAD students – Chaitanya Ahuja, Lara Isaacson, Hanjun Lin, Xichen Liu, Julia Moore, Shruti Narkar, Sarah Prifitera and Fen Zhu – who developed it during their 2020 Sustainable Practices in Design class. Their professor, Scott Boylston, continued working after the class ended to fine-tune the design.

“The SCAD design for sustainability program focuses on preparing students to pioneer organizational change, technological and material innovation, and citizen advocacy,” said Boylston. Collaborating with Healthy Savannah provided the students a real-world opportunity to put those skills to use. Our students are incredibly committed to understanding the health and wellness challenges that residents of Savannah are facing in their daily lives. Their creative efforts focused on designing a concrete way to amplify the self-sufficiency and self-determination of the community as a whole. SCAD ultimately created a whimsical and easily accessible portal for our partner Healthy Savannah to enhance their outreach and education efforts."

Healthy Savannah commissioned SCAD alum Sydnee Robertson, M.F.A., dramatic writing, 2020; B.F.A., visual effects, 2017; to provide artwork for the project.

“Like little libraries locally and around the country, the Healthy Hub will meet needs exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Hoskins. "I’m excited about featuring the work of artists with Savannah connections that should attract attention.” The artwork on each Healthy Hub will rotate seasonally to feature other local artists’ interpretation of what a healthy Savannah looks like.

“We’re putting the first Healthy Hub at Lake Mayer and are looking for a second location in another Savannah area park or along the Truman Linear Park Trail,” said Armand Turner, Physical Activity program manager. “We hope those who visit will take items they need or leave healthy items that others might need.”

The first three miles of the six-mile Truman Linear Trail was completed in November. It connects Lake Mayer Park with Daffin Park and is part of Tide to Town, a 30-mile network of protected walking and bicycling trails which will link all of Savannah from the heart of the city to its waterways and marshes, including 62 savannah neighborhoods, 30 public schools and all three major hospitals.

Tide to Town and the Healthy Hub project are both sponsored by Healthy Savannah, in partnership with the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called REACH. That’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health.

The objective of the local grant is to close the gaps in health disparities among priority populations in Savannah and Chatham County in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, and community–clinical linkages.

Deep Center of Savannah has released Savannah: A Tale of Two Cities. Two Stories, One (Educational) Outcome, an anthology centered on the school to prison pipeline.

The anthology is curated selection of new solicited writing and artwork from Savannah’s youth, and the best youth pieces from previous program years, and included a contest that awarded three places for the strongest writing. Three poems were chosen out of more than 50 pieces from young people all over Savannah.

First place goes to former Block by Block young author Ndey Niang for the poem “No Longer Astronauts.” Second place goes to current Block by Block young author Kimaura Williams for the poem “No Thanks.” Third place goes to former Block by Block young author Elisha Patterson-Murry for the poem “Be Real: Help Me. Help Us.”

“Savannah: A Tale of Two Cities, is a compilation of these stories put to paper, an anthology from the experts,” said Ariel Felton, teaching artist and publications manager. “In addition to a call for submission from any Savannah young person interested in Deep programming, we also culled through pieces written in previous program years. In this book, you’ll find poems about feeling excluded in class, and letters to SCPSS asking, “Am I a failure?” There are blackout poems crafted from a Chatham County Youth Bill of Demands, as well as takedowns of standardized testing and juvenile detention policies. Because we trust our young people, these are the stories that inspired Deep Center’s 2020 policy brief.”

Savannah: A Tale of Two Cities. Two Stories, One (Educational) Outcome is also the partner publication to Deep Center’s 2020 Policy brief, Building a Restorative Community: Recommendations for City, County, State, School Board, Law Enforcement, and Beyond, ten recommendations for a more just and equitable community.

To ease Thanksgiving traffic congestion statewide, Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) announced today the suspension of construction-related lane closures on heavily traveled interstate highways and state routes from 6 a.m. Wed., Nov. 25 to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30. The statewide lane restrictions help to reduce traffic congestion during the Thanksgiving holiday. Similar restrictions will be in place for Christmas and New Year’s.

“In order to provide a safer and less congested roadway, we are limiting construction-related lane closures,” said Georgia DOT State Construction Engineer John D. Hancock. “Although traffic volumes were down earlier this year due to COVID-19, unfortunately, fatalities on our roadways have been up. I urge drivers to watch your speed, put down your cell phones, be alert and make sure you and your passengers buckle-up. Let’s make this a happy Thanksgiving for all.”

A Safe Driving Media Toolkit is available that includes interview opportunities with GDOT experts and Georgia State Patrol officers, broll, pre-recorded clips of spokespeople addressing safe driving and what motorists can do to protect themselves and others, and materials and resources for use in coverage on safe driving during the holiday season.

While the road closures will be suspended, the department reminds travelers to exercise caution as crews may still work near highways, and safety concerns may require some long-term lane closures to remain in place. In addition, incident management or emergency, maintenance-related lane closures could become necessary at any time on any route.

For up-to-date information about travel conditions on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, call 511 or visit www.511ga.org before heading out. 511 is a free service that provides real-time statewide information on Georgia’s interstates and state routes, including traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers can also transfer to operators to request HERO assistance in metro Atlanta or CHAMP service on highways in other regions of the state.

In an effort to meet unprecedented levels of need in our community this holiday season, Walmart, Belk, and The Salvation Army of Savannah (TSA) are working together to make it easier for people to help others this Christmas.

The organizations will work to offer greater assistance to area families through the expansion of programs like Angel Tree and Red Kettles, which will be out earlier, and, for the first time ever, invite people to round-up donations to The Salvation Army in-store and online.

“Our community has been greatly impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this need is sure to increase further during the holiday season,” said The Salvation Army of Savannah’s Major Paul Egan. “We are beyond grateful for the support of Walmart and Belk for answering the call to Rescue Christmas and help provide for the most vulnerable people in our community.” Walmart and TSA are making it easier for customers to give to those in need this Christmas.

In most Walmart stores across Savannah, the expanded partnership includes:

• Starting November 21, Walmart will offer customers the option to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate the difference to The Salvation Army. Customers can do this in stores at manned cash registers or online through December 31.

• The Salvation Army’s Red Kettles and iconic bell ringers will be at participating Walmart stores earlier than usual this year, starting on Saturday, November 21. The Salvation Army is adopting nationally mandated safety protocols for physical kettles to help ensure the safety of bell ringers, donors and partners. Bell ringers will also be at select Sam’s Clubs across Savannah.

• Salvation Army Angel Trees will appear in participating Walmart stores, giving local shoppers the opportunity to select a child or children from the tree and to purchase or drop off gifts onsite.

• The Salvation Army is also partnering with Walmart for an Angel Tree Registry. Those who prefer to do their shopping online can visit www.bit.ly/TSAWalmartRegistry. A gift through this registry will bring joy to a local child and help TSA Rescue Christmas. Toys purchased through this site are given to those angels who have not been adopted.

Belk has also been a partner of The Salvation Army of Savannah for over 10 years. Belk will be hosting Red Kettle bell ringers in front of their Oglethorpe Mall location starting November 19 for shoppers to participate in Rescuing Christmas. Shoppers can donate to the red kettles through Apple and Google Pay using their phone for a secure and easy payment option.

Belk will be hosting several volunteer groups at their bell ringing location – the U.S. Marine Corps League, 13th Colony Sound, Savannah Scottish Rite and Angels of Mercy, a volunteer group with St. Joseph’s Candler.

TSA needs volunteers to ring the kettles at partner locations during the holiday season. A volunteer bell ringer raises more donations on average, but less than 10% of bell ringers are volunteers. One hour of bell ringing can provide a meal for a family of four, and an entire day of ringing (8 hours) can provide lodging for a family of four for one month. Flexible volunteer opportunities are available for scheduling at www.registertoring.com.

Donations to Rescue Christmas are also welcomed via the online donation platform at www.RedKettleSAV.givesmart.com or by texting “RedKettleSAV” to 76278. Every donation provides help and hope to the most vulnerable, and all gifts stay within the greater Savannah community.

The Salvation Army has served greater Savannah for the past 120 years supporting the most vulnerable.