Salvation Army Cadets Are On A Mission To Dance For The Poor

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's Christmas time in the city! The season is known for holiday staples like the tree at Rockefeller Center, and the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.

Now, you can add the Salvation Army Cadets to your list of must-sees, CBS 2's Amy Dardashtian reported Friday.

Rushed and distracted commuters were stopping in their tracks at Penn Station on Thursday, as dancing cadets were busting moves to everything from "What Does The Fox Say" to Christmas classics.

Michael Buzzard and Gilberto Rivera are Salvation Army pastors in training and said they have been dancing their mission for eight hours a day in the bitter cold.

"The Salvation Army kettle is as much Christmas in New York as the Rockefeller Tree, as Radio City Music Hall, but in this day and age just the bell doesn't do it anymore," Buzzard said.

In this digital age the new twist on an old tradition is popping up heads and perking up pockets.

Buzzard and Rivera are two of dozens of volunteers across the city who are raising money for the poor.

"You get off the train, you're stressed and you're going to work and he just makes you smile. I love it," one woman said.

The cadets raise millions of dollars every year by shaking their tail feathers, CBS 2's Dardashtian reported.

Singing and dancing by volunteers generates roughly four times more in donations than bell ringing alone, according to the Salvation Army.

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories