For the Haines Salvation Army, the season of giving begins Friday, Nov. 27, when the red kettle is posted at Howsers downtown.

Bell-ringers are only the most prominent of the church’s efforts to help needy residents and visitors, said Lt. Kevin Woods, who took over the church here with wife Serina in the fall.

“Our Red Kettle Campaign helps with our Christmas programs, but it also helps all year long,” Woods said this week. “The better we do at Christmastime, the more people we can help, including in the summer when giving lags off a little bit. Need knows no season.”

Woods said due to his transition into the local position, there will be no “Angel Tree” program this year, but the church will be joining with the Uglys of Haines to make a toy distribution.

“What exactly’s going to happen, hopefully we’ll know next week and have the dates hammered out for any toy distribution we do,” Woods said.

Residents also can make donations directly to the church at P.O. Box 550, Haines. To help out at the kettle, call Woods at 766-2470.

Woods said a special food basket for the Christmas holiday will be made during a food distribution at the church Dec. 17.

Woods said he anticipated resurrecting the “Angel Tree” tradition for gift-giving next year.