Norwich — Bells will start ringing outside two Norwich stores Friday, and a week later, a traditional Salvation Army brass band will join in outside City Hall.

The 2021 Salvation Army Red Kettle fundraiser will get underway Friday morning, with volunteers ringing bells outside the Norwich Stop & Shop Supermarket in Norwichtown Commons, 70 Town St., and outside Norwich Walmart, 220 Salem Turnpike. A mini kettle can be found at the front counter at Old Tymes Restaurant, 360 W. Main St., as well.

It's a tradition that provides visible presence for the social services agency in Norwich, which has undergone major changes in recent years. The agency suffered a fire that damaged its former permanent home, moved to a series of temporary locations in local churches and transitioned from a full-service entity with religious programs and uniformed officers to a service extension unit that still aids more than 100 local families.

Caseworker and case manager Maria Nott — the Norwich agency's sole paid staff member — is busy this month preparing for the holiday rush of fundraising and services, along with planning for another office move in spring. Currently, she has an office in the Foundry 66 complex, 66 Franklin St., which she shares this week with several red kettles and their accompanying signs and tripods.

The agency has set a high goal of raising $30,000 in the kettle drive this year. Volunteer bell ringers — individuals or civic organizations — still are needed. Contact Nott at (860) 559-2245 or maria.nott@use.salvationarmy.org.

“Last year was a tough, tough year,” Nott said of the total $12,000 raised in the kettle drive. The COVID-19 pandemic hurt people’s ability to donate and put many families in need. Fewer shoppers went to stores, preferring curbside pickups or home deliveries.

One new Norwich tradition did help, she said: a three-hour bell-ringing event at City Hall with municipal officials taking turns, accompanied by a Salvation Army brass band.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Dec. 3, outside City Hall, extending the city’s First Friday and Light Up City Hall festivities planned for later that day. Mayor Peter Nystrom, Norwich Community Development Corp. President Kevin Brown and other city leaders will volunteer to ring the kettle bell. A Salvation Army canteen will offer hot chocolate and doughnuts.

Volunteer Devra Colburn-Larkin of Colchester, who will ring the bell at Norwich Walmart, said she started ringing kettle bells last year in Hartford after she retired. Her friend in New York organizes the kettle drive there, so she was aware of the effort.

Colburn-Larkin said many people prefer to give through the online kettle drive at the Norwich Salvation Army website, bit.ly/nwsalva — online donations remain with the local service agency — but seeing the kettles at local stores still helps.

“It’s just a good way to give back,” she said. “It’s harder now than it used to be, because people don’t carry cash. So that’s where the virtual piece comes in. But people out there ringing bells is still a reminder, and there’s an Apple Pay thing on there. If nothing else, it’s a reminder.”

The kettle drive is just one service Nott is organizing. The local Salvation Army holiday Angel Tree family sponsorship is underway. The trees contain tags describing local families and items they need. Trees will be set up at CorePlus Federal Credit Union, 202 Salem Turnpike; Advanced Dermatology, 111 Salem Turnpike; the Lisbon Walmart on Route 12 and other local businesses.

Online Angel Tree donations are available, with donors able to shop online for the gifts they choose to buy for the families in the Norwich and Lisbon areas.

In addition to the traditional holiday programs, the Norwich Salvation Army service unit has contracted with the state of Connecticut and Excess Broadband to provide iPad tablets to families in need. The next distribution will be at 10 a.m. Dec. 9 at Foundry 66 in Norwich. Eligible applicants must be receiving SNAP food or Medicare/Medicaid benefits and are required to bring proof. The cost will be $11 cash.

“The goal is to create a lifeline and empowerment for those who do not have access,” Nott said.

c.bessette@theday.com