Family, Friends, and Community Ring the Bell in Honor of Long-Time Bell Ringer Bill Connor
Community members are dedicating Wednesday, December 23 at Fred Meyer to honor the late Bill Connor, a long-time bell ringer of The Salvation Army Kroc Center.
Bill Connor started ringing the bell for his community in 2008. Bill was a long-time Coeur d’Alene resident who dearly loved his family and community. His seasonal job ringing the bell blessed him and all those who encountered him. It was a joy to share his jolly, upbeat and positive attitude with all those he met while at the kettle. He was a man of strong faith who believed service to community was a way to honor his faith.
Sadly, Bill passed away from cancer in January 2019, but was able to ring the bell one last time at Fred Meyer the month before. This year, the community is dedicating a whole day of bell ringing to honor his memory.
From 10am–6pm at the Coeur d’Alene Fred Meyer on Wednesday, December 23, Bill Connor’s family, friends, and community will be ringing the bell to celebrate Bill and his love for those around him.
“He was a pleasure to work with, one of the people in the world you meet who make you want you to be your very best self,” shared Stacy Barney, who remembers Bill when he first started ringing the bell in 2008 before The Kroc Center officially opened. “Bill was always so welcoming and kind. And it was fun to see kids, big and small delight in seeing him at the kettle each year. We miss him.”
100% of donations to The Salvation Army Kroc Center—at a Kettle, through the mail or online—stay in Kootenai County. Community Center expenses are already covered allowing donations to directly benefit these and other community outreach activities:
- $25 can feed a single mom or dad and 2 kids
- $63 can shelter a family in crisis
- $150 can completely outfit a child with warm, winter clothing
- $225 can give a child a week at Camp
- $500 can provide Bibles and weekly mentoring for 15 youth
- $1,000 can prevent a family from becoming homeless at Christmas
