It’s not the green beer playing tricks on your vision. Local leprechauns really will be ringin’ a bell alongside green Salvation Army kettles on St. Patty’s Day and inviting small gifts to help meet great needs.

 
Football Hall of Famer and ex-49er Bob St. Clair will man a kettle outside The Nutty Irishman pub from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m on Wednesday. Those same two hours, St. Clair’s Irish pal, radio all-star Jim Grady, will dance an occasional jig beside a kettle at Barleycorn’s.

To help the Salvation Army meet a sharp rise in requests for assistance by local families, others will invite donations at midday and from 4 to 6 p.m. outside Stout Brothers Irish Pub, Russian River Brewery, Third Street Aleworks, Cricklewood, Sweet River Grill and Quincy’s.
There will be kettles, too, at several local markets and drug stores from noon to 6.

 
I and Madeleine O’Connell of Sonoma Bank hope to fill a pot with gold during the afternoon shift at Barleycorn’s. Do drop by, make the kettle sing.