Photo by Jenny Kirk Siblings Sam and Whitney Kontz volunteered to be Salvation Army bell ringers recently at Shopko in Marshall.

MARSHALL — For siblings Whitney and Sam Kontz, Christmas is a time to volunteer and give back to the community they grew up in. Recently, they spent a few hours as Salvation Army bell ringers.

“Our parents don’t want Christmas gifts,” Whitney Kontz said. “They want us to volunteer, so we always find something to do in the community. We love it.”

The brother and sister duo praised their parents, Jim and Jill Kontz, for instilling a community-service attitude in them. The pair have been consistently volunteering for three straight years.

“I feel like a lot of people get away from the Christmas season, or they get the wrong idea,” Whitney Kontz said. “When it’s all about the presents, you lose sight of what the real meaning is.”

Sam Kontz, a college student, said he and his sister try to volunteer a couple different times every Christmas season.

“It kind of depends on our schedules,” he said. We’ve done (the bell ringing) more than one time a year. It’s a good way to give back to the community.”

Whitney and Sam Kontz said they enjoy giving of their time in whatever capacity it is.

“We try to find something impactful to do every year,” Whitney Kontz said. “We’ve done Meals on Wheels before and you hear how appreciative they are every time you bring them a meal. They wish you a Merry Christmas every time, too.”

The siblings plan to continue honoring their parents Christmas wish to volunteer in the community in the future.

“It’s just so easy to do and it doesn’t really take that much time out of your day to do,” Sam Kontz said. “Even in an hour or 30 minutes, you can make someone’s day out of it.”