Nashville needs your old, worn red metal Salvation Army kettle

By: David Ibata

Major Ethan Frizzell, Nashville area commander, has a deal for all the corps officers out there: If you send him your old, metal, Salvation Army red kettle, he'll have Trade ship you a new plastic kettle, and Nashville will pay for it. He needs 250 metal kettles as soon as possible.

Ajax Turner Co., a Nashville beverage distributor, has offered to take 100, Major Frizzell said. It's agreed to engage 100 of its customers to each take a kettle, with the promise to return it with $1,000 – a potential total of $100,000. The major is making a "Red Kettle Challenge" to other possible sponsors: Take one kettle, man it for one day, and raise $1,000 to support one person for one month at the Residences of Bison Trail, the Nashville Center of Hope supportive housing.

The campaign is further explained here.

Why metal kettles?

"Everyone likes the old kettles better," said Major Frizzell. "There is an authenticity of experience of those vintage vessels. Yes, the plastic kettles are lightweight and durable. However, for this effort, battle-bruised kettles are preferred."

The Nashville Predators ice hockey team is aboard; they've agreed to host a Red Kettle concert Thursday, Nov. 29. So is MINI of Nashville, an automobile dealer; it will let the Army have a Mini Cooper to dress up as a big rolling kettle. A #RedKettleChallenge kickoff is planned for participants at a Top Golf entertainment center.

"If you sign up for a kettle, you'll get a metal kettle with your name on it, along with T-shirts and some other swag, and that kettle becomes yours," Major Frizzell said. "So we'll have our logo as a reminder in someone's lobby or living room all year long. It's our way of building new traditions for this generation."