As Christmas approaches, not all of the season's news is heartwarming and festive: Two African-American college students helping out with the Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign at a Wal-Mart store in Washington state last Wednesday report that a group called them the n-word while they were volunteering as bell ringers to raise money for families in need.

The good news about this incident, which community members say is shocking, is that the students have decided not to let the local bigots ruin their efforts to give back this holiday season — they told the local news outlet that they asked to be moved to a location where they felt safer, but they will continue to volunteer.

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