The Day I Accidentally Became a Salvation Army Powerlifter
Last week, I volunteered at the Salvation Army to help load a storage container full of donated clothes into their central warehouse truck.
I figured I’d be in and out. Carry a few bags. Shake a few hands. Play the role of “responsible community man.”
Nope.
Two hours later, I was sweating, sore, and rethinking every life choice that led me to this parking lot. Some of those bags were so heavy I started questioning whether someone tossed in a set of snow tires by mistake. North Country folks don’t play around.
And yet… It felt good. Really good.
Because every one of those bags, thousands of pieces of clothing was headed into the hands of people who need them more than I ever will.
Being a man means showing up, especially when no one is watching.
As I was hauling those bags, I kept thinking about the real cost behind what organizations like the Salvation Army do:
staff
vehicles
fuel
insurance
food
logistics
warehousing
transportation
equipment
Every meal, every coat, every shelter bed… someone paid for that. Someone volunteered for that. Someone gave hours they didn’t “have.”
And this holiday season, they’re stretched thinner than ever.
That’s why when you hear that iconic bell outside the grocery store or see that red kettle… I encourage you to reach a little deeper.
Spare the change. Drop the cash. Tap your card. Because it all adds up to something much bigger than the moment.
And if you really want to feel alive, purposeful, and reminded of what being a man is about? Give them something even more valuable, your time.
An hour ringing the bell. An evening at the soup kitchen. A morning helping load bags (just stretch first).
Service builds character. Service builds gratitude. Service builds the kind of men our communities desperately need.
On Sunday, I didn’t just lift bags. I lifted my perspective.
And as I drove home with a sore back and a full heart, I realized. I’m still my own case study for everything I talk about.
What’s one simple way you can serve someone this season? Drop it in the comments, or better yet, go do it today.
