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Doing the Most Good
March 28, 2011 New Frontier
NEWS BRIEFS OF THE WEST
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17 ESV) Car wash sends youth to retreat The San Bernardino Karen Citadel Corps youth Gleason held a car wash March 26 to raise money for Editor the Sierra del Mar divisional youth retreat at Pine Summit in Big Bear Lake, April 8-10. “The retreat is an opportunity for our young people to get out of San Bernardino and visit the beautiful mountains,” said Kelly Raabe, young people’s sergeant major. The goal was to raise about $2,000, allowing 15-20 youth to go to the retreat. For more information about the retreat or to donate, contact the corps at (909) 888-1336. Food Box Packin’ Tuesdays The Sacramento (Calif.) Citadel Corps resumed its volunteer-run Food Box Packin’ Tuesdays program—which provides groceries for the needy and homeless. “The demand for food boxes has increased but our ability to hire extra staff is not there,” Ava Simpson, volunteer coordinator, said. Help comes from many places: Harding (Ark.) College students on spring break, corporate groups, churches and youth groups. “I didn’t realize that it [The Salvation Army] was helping everyday people,” volunteer Suzanne Bush said. “Knowing that…causes me to want to volunteer or contribute more to the Army.” Breakfast is served Eighteen sixth graders from Woods Learning Center recently helped prepare and serve breakfast at The Salvation Army soup kitchen in Casper, Wyo. In connection with “Woods Has A Heart Day,” the activity got kids to volunteer in their community and to witness need firsthand. One man at the breakfast, currently unemployed, said: “I’d hope they’d learn that giving of themselves would help them open their hearts to the homeless and the needy…it’s showing humanity at its best.” Majors Randall and Cheryl Kinnamon are corps officers in Casper. Taking a break to serve others In Anchorage, Alaska, a youth group— CitiServe, from ChangePoint Church— spent spring break serving others including painting the inside of The Salvation Army’s Clitheroe Center. Jenni Ragland, Alaska divisional community relations associate director, said: “While many young people choose to relax on spring break, we were blessed to have a group of teens eager to serve their community.” Check out the Alaska Division’s Facebook page for photos and more news. Breakfast at Sally’s Richard LeMieux, author of Breakfast at Sally’s, spoke in Surprise, Ariz., on March 27. After years of success, LeMieux’s business failed and he found himself homeless in Bremerton, Wash., writing his book while living in his minivan. He and the other homeless people portrayed in his book regularly visited Sally’s, the soup kitchen at The Salvation Army in Bremerton. Breakfast at Sally’s—available at Amazon.com—reveals his descent into homelessness and his ultimate salvation. For more information, visit breakfastatsallys.com.
Life is good at 100! n Husband and wife born nine days apart celebrate their birthdays. BY JOYCE JOHNSTON A hundred years is a long time to do anything but Joe and Marion Epler—of the Seattle Temple Corps—have found living to age 100 quite easy. The Eplers recently celebrated their joint 100th birthdays at the corps’ senior lunch group. Joe’s birthday is Feb. 18, 1901, and Marion’s is Feb. 27. Corps Officer Major Linda Harmon presented a corsage and boutonniere to the Eplers. Corps Officer Major Dave Harmon congratulated the pair and opened the celebration with prayer. After lunch, everyone enjoyed a birthday cake baked by fellow senior Inger Burtes. The couple’s friendship began in the 1930s, but each married someone else. At the age of 87—after their spouses died—they decided it was their time to wed. The Eplers are generous supporters of the Seattle Temple with both their finances and time. Their gifts include a large American flag that hangs in the Fellowship Hall and kitchen equipment. Joe Epler is a long time member of Kiwanis and has organized bellringing and Toy and Joy Tree volunteers for several years. “[I] look forward to seeing them each Tuesday at our senior
Marion and Joe Epler with John Magnenat
Photo by Bertha Ericson
lunch. They are just nice to be around,” Joyce Johnston, soldier and Home League secretary, said. Ardent baseball fans, the Eplers do not allow their ages to interrupt their yearly trip to Yuma, Ariz., to attend the Mariners’ spring training. While there, they also visit with Marion Epler’s daughter, Sally de Jong, who resides not far from the Peoria Sports Complex where the team prepares for the upcoming season.
MODESTO CITADEL BERBERIAN HOMELESS SHELTER AND TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER
Seeing further than the name on a form n Intern goes beyond the basics and helps change a life. BY CINDY SUTTER-TKEL Offering hope—believing in people and in their ability to succeed—is what The Salvation Army’s Berberian Homeless Shelter and Transitional Living Center in Modesto, Calif., is all about. The value of a compassionate, competent, understanding relationship cannot be overestimated. One such connection achieved a dual result by giving a newly graduated social worker a chance to develop her skills while leading a chronically homeless person—addicted to drugs and alcohol—out of that situation and into a sober and meaningful life.
Sara Boring is an intern at Berberian Homeless Shelter and Transitional Living Center. Photo by Karen Valenzuela
Sara Boring—an intern at the center—had just graduated from college; Berberian was her first position as a social worker. One day at mail call she noticed one of the shelter residents—“Dave”—was receiving mail from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since she worked with the center’s Transitional Veterans Program,
she invited him to meet with her to learn about the transitional housing program. Because of Boring’s continued concern for him, Dave soon joined the program. Boring worked with him on his physical and mental health issues, increasing his computer skills, clearing up bad credit, supporting his recovery program, helping resolve his child support issues, reestablishing contact with his family, preparing him for a job search, and even connecting him with the community via volunteering with a local non-profit. Today, Dave has successfully completed the program. He moved out of the facility to an apartment of his own and secured a part-time job. He says that his most significant accom-
plishments were the intangible ones: accepting his past and current reality, learning coping mechanisms, having a “can do” attitude, developing goals, maintaining self-worth in spite of his addictions, accepting the consequences of his decisions and taking responsibility for them, and realizing that helping others is helping yourself. “It’s a great accomplishment and I owe Sara many thanks, along with others. I am fairly confident that things are going to improve as I progress along my new path in life. I learned to stay positive. I was recently congratulated on my success by a friend…oh, what a feeling,” Dave said. “Dave’s” name was changed to protect his identity.
Mayor mushes for The Salvation Army Anchorage, Alaska Mayor Dan Sullivan can add accomplished dog musher to his resume after competing in the first ever ExxonMobil Top Dog Charity Dog Sled Race. As one of five local celebrity mushers, Sullivan raced to benefit The Salvation Army and Victims for Justice. Exxon provided a $20,000 purse to be divided between all selected charities. Following a half-hour training session, Sullivan was first out of the chute, heading out on the 2.3-mile trail with his team. As he rounded the final cor-
SANTA ROSA
ner, The Salvation Army brass ensemble played him across the finish line, as his supporters (all sporting Irish green in his honor) cheered him on. For his fourth-place finish, Sullivan presented a $1,000 check to each of his charities and stated, “I was proud to support The Salvation Army and all the good work they do for our community. Of particular concern to me are issues involving homelessness—the Army’s efforts helping that population are essential to us as a city.”
Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan and Captain Daniel Freeman Photo by Jenni Ragland
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over the ceremony. Other noted guests included Sonoma County 5th District Supervisor Efren Carrillo, Santa Rosa Mayor Ernesto Oliveras, Advisory Board Chairman Gary Zanolini, and Wendell Nordby, advisory board member. Carrillo and Oliveras expressed appreciation to The Salvation Army for its 122 years of service to the community. The timbrels of the corps’ Praise and Performance Factory and a regional brass ensemble provided entertainment. On Saturday, a car show—consisting of 42 vehicles ranging from handcrafted chrome bicycles to low riders to a 1910 Hudson—was a hit. The Santa Rosa Corps’ Emergency Disaster Services Canteen served free hot dogs, hamburgers and nachos. Twenty-five bicycles were given away as door prizes. Along with creating good will in the neighborhood, the event raised money for the corps’ Cooperative Living program
through car registration fees. Approximately 170 people attended the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on Sunday night. Entertainment included a boxing demonstration by Double Punches gym and a ribbon dance by the girls of the Praise and Performance Factory. Many attendees said, “I didn’t even know you were here,” and “I didn’t realize you offered so much.” Jackie Simons was awarded “volunteer of the year” for her service on the advisory board, as a bellringer and event aide, and for being a part of the “army behind the Army.” “We praise God that everything went better than planned, from the weather to the turnout. It was a great weekend and we were able to show the community that we are here to serve them,” said Captain Mark Gilden.