NORWICH – Recently, the iconic image of Salvation Army volunteers ringing bells next to red collection kettles, smiling and greeting passersby while encouraging them to make a donation, has received an interesting local twist as a quartet of volunteers have used their love of animals to lure contributions.

Karen Wood, her husband Larry Wood, and their two Pekingese pooches, have been manning the bright red kettle in the Norwich Tops entrance for the past couple of months. Karen cites the family dogs as the reason behind the group’s ability to successfully compel shoppers into making donations.

“They are such great volunteers ... I am so impressed with them,” said local Salvation Army organizer Shannon Wright. “(They) have become quite an attraction in the lobby at Tops.”