Salvation Army's Red Kettles will be out Saturday

The Salvation Army said Friday it is counting on 100,000 hours of bell-ringing at 400 Twin Cities locations to raise $9.8 million during this Christmas season's Red Kettle campaign.

Officially

The charity's annual effort, among the metro area's most visible nonprofit fundraisers, starts at 7:50 a.m. Saturday with a kickoff event at the Cub Foods, 5937 Nicollet Av. S., Minneapolis.

Unofficially

The campaign began Friday night with a Rock the Kettle Concert and fundraiser at the Harbor Light Shelter in downtown Minneapolis. The rock group Hang Dynasty, which includes former Steve Miller Band member Billy Peterson, performed. Proceeds will fund Harbor Light's Basics of Life Training program, which provides long-term residential treatment for homeless men.

For volunteers

Anyone who wants to be a bell-ringer or make a donation online can visit www. salvationarmynorth.org.

The 2012 goal of $9.8 million matches the amount the Salvation Army raised in the Red Kettle campaign in 2011.

Last year

The 2011 total fell $1.6 million short of its goal of $11.4 million, marking the first time that the charity did not hit its target.