C O M M U N I T Y
R E P O R T
Aligned with the Heart of God Rachel Paashaus of The Salvation Army’s Children’s Services Department In 2007, during her senior year at Lancaster Bible College, Rachel Paashaus began her search for a career where she could help children and also integrate her faith and Christian values into a work environment. She discovered The Salvation Army’s Children Services Department while flipping through the phone book and immediately called to inquire about job openings. Rachel was hired a few months later as a foster care case manager. Finding a job at The Salvation Army was one of many times when Rachel said she felt the hand of God guiding her through life. As a high school student she had planned to attend a large state university until a job as a counselor at a Christian summer camp changed her path. Rachel’s experience that summer helped her appreciate how different people relate with God and this was, Paashaus said, “the first experience where I could see the importance of faith in action. Being at that camp put God in the center for me.” Upon returning home, Rachel discarded her state school applications and replaced them with ones for Christian colleges. During her three years as a foster care case manager, from 2007 to 2010, Rachel provided direct support to foster families and the children under their care in the Southeast and Lehigh Valley regions of Pennsylvania. In this role, Rachel built strong relationships with the children who were, on average, living in foster care for more than 15 months. “For adults, a year may not seem like a long time, but it is a significant portion of a child’s life,” said Paashaus. “I knew this was important.” In September of 2010, Paashaus began her graduate studies at Kutztown University where she earned a master’s degree in Social Work. She now works as a resource specialist and as the
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Adoption Program’s supervisor, where she partners with families interested in becoming foster parents and raises awareness of the foster care population’s needs. Paashaus walks interested families through the approval process, building their confidence for their new role. Rachel is most inspired by Psalm 10: 17 – 18: You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror. “It’s amazing to get to come to work every day and live that mandate,” said Paashaus. “How I do this is by finding families who are going to provide safe, loving and nurturing home environments and care for these children that are, in a sense, orphaned in modern day America. It’s a privilege as a Christian to have a job that is aligned with the heart of God.”
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A Lifetime of Giving in Oxford On May 21, 2012, Oxford Mayor Geoff Henry presented Harold Gray with a Citizen Recognition Award. Gray was honored for a lifetime of service to country and community, including his contributions as the chairman of The Salvation Army Oxford Service Unit since 1971.
teachers if I could come back the next day with coats and gloves. I never pointed any of them out, though. You can’t do that.” Gray would then go to the local stores and ask for donations or spend his own money to get the children what they needed.
Born in 1929 and raised in Oxford, Gray left Pennsylvania when he was drafted into the military and subsequently served for thirteen months in the Korean War. Upon returning to the States, Mr. Gray joined the Oxford Police Force where he served as an officer from 1965 to 1992. In 1994, Mr. Gray was elected Mayor of Oxford and held this office until 2005. During this time, he also served as the American Legion commander and was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Memorial at Oxford Memorial Park.
Acts like this are true to Gray’s compassionate and giving character. Arty Anderson is the treasurer of Oxford Borough and the Oxford Service Unit. She has known Gray his whole life. She said, “Harold has always been very concerned about people. If he knows you are in need he will worry about you and he will try to help you.”
Gray remembers the day he received a call from Jim Campbell, the former coordinator of The Salvation Army Service Unit program in Oxford, requesting his service as chairman. He didn’t hesitate to accept the role. “When I was in the military, The Salvation Army was giving the soldiers coffee and donuts when other folks were trying to sell them to us,” said Gray. “I never forgot that and knew I would give something back.” From that day, Gray committed himself to helping those in need in subtle but powerful ways, always mindful to not invade anyone’s privacy or hurt their pride. He remembers spending cold afternoons at school bus stops looking to see if children were wearing good shoes and outerwear. Gray said, “If they weren’t, I would go to the school and ask the
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Gray will be out again this Christmas ringing the bell in Oxford. He likes seeing the same people year after year, and finds it especially rewarding when folks stop to tell him how The Salvation Army helped them. Gray’s concern for others comes with a true appreciation of all he has been given in life. He said, “I come from a large family of ten and we were very fortunate. We were blessed and I didn’t like to see other people suffer because they were in need. Everyone gets down once in a while. I do what I can.” Through Service Unit volunteers like Harold Gray, The Salvation Army is delivering hope to families in need across Eastern Pennsylvania. Service Unit volunteers come from all walks of life – ordinary people with caring hearts and a loyal commitment to The Salvation Army mission. Volunteers, organized as “Service Units” in 34 counties across Eastern Pennsylvania provide emergency assistance to families in financial crisis, recruit children for a camping experience at Camp Ladore and link families and their community to other Salvation Army programs. They wear no uniforms. They are a volunteer militia. They are the army behind the Army.
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Closer to the holidays, the process of sorting and labeling the food baskets is a huge effort requiring a large amount of space and plenty of people. The Hamburg Fire Company donates one of their buildings for the effort and local businesses pay their employees to sort and label items. In 2011, the Hamburg Service Unit was able to feed 146 families and provide more than 350 children with gift boxes. “It’s a real community effort and last year was the best year ever,” said Correll. CHRISTMAS KETTLES
When most of our area was finding ways to survive the heat wave last summer, dedicated Salvation Army volunteers were focused on the traditional Christmas programs of Angel Trees, Food Baskets and Christmas Kettles. ANGEL TREES
Work for the Angel Tree program kicked off in July for Virginia Griffiths of Honeybrook, PA with outreach to local businesses, asking them to display Angel Trees during the upcoming holiday season. Ornaments hanging on these trees list clothing and toy wishes for children throughout Chester County. For the Griffiths, the Angel Tree program is a family affair. Virginia’s husband makes the Angel Trees himself. Her adult children set aside a portion of their paychecks weekly to buy goods not covered by donations, and Virginia’s sisterin-law purchases the less popular gift items. “When I was little, The Salvation Army helped my family and I always wanted to give back,” said Griffiths.
When fall arrives, Kib Roulette, and Ellie and Jim Sheen will begin making calls to re-enlist and recruit new Salvation Army bell ringers. Through the additional help of emails and local advertisements, the team will work to enlist and schedule 300 volunteers needed to ring bells outside of the Gettysburg Wal-Mart from early November through Christmas Eve. “Volunteerism is alive and well in Adams County,” said Roulette. “We are always incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support.” Last year, members of the Gettysburg community raised close to $40,000, money that was used to send 50 children to summer camp and provide 200 children with school supplies. Christmas Kettles money also provided holiday turkeys and hams for homeless shelters as well as personal items for residents of nursing homes. Service Unit committees across Eastern PA are in the midst of Christmas activities that will provide families in their community needed help at Christmas and throughout the year.
The true crunch time for Virginia and other Angel Tree volunteers comes in November when Angel Tree donations are collected. The community’s generosity was evident last season in Griffith’s living room – filled with hundreds of items that needed to be sorted and labeled. The family gladly packaged Angel Tree gifts for 148 children. “I am just thankful that people are so charitable,” said Griffiths. FOOD BASKETS
Individuals and families who sign up to receive gifts from the Angel Tree program are automatically enrolled in the Food Basket program that distributes complete Christmas meals. Cathy Correll, case worker for the Hamburg Service Unit, spends the summer and fall contacting the schools and churches who will organize food drives.
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Lessons of the Wild Salvation Army Launches New Camp for Teens
On June 25, 2012, 25 teenagers arrived at Camp Ladore in the Pocono Mountains for the opening session of The Salvation Army’s brand new Wilderness Camp. Their first assignments: pitch a tent, build a fire, cook dinner and, above all, learn to work together to tackle new challenges. For years, Camp Ladore has been the home to The Salvation Army’s overnight summer camp for underprivileged or at-risk children up to the age of twelve. It has provided an escape from the streets in a setting of open fields, rivers, lakes, trails and woods, with curriculums based on Christian principles. The Wilderness Camp was introduced this summer with the goal of extending these Salvation Army camp opportunities to teenagers. ”One of the goals is to make Camp Ladore a full service camp,” said Major Frederic Clarke, a camp organizer and counselor. “ With Wilderness Camp, we are offering a camp for teens up to seventeen and eighteen years old with the goal of the eighteen year olds becoming counselors next year.”
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Major Clarke and the rest of the camp staff hope the teens walk away from the Wilderness Camp experience with more than just outdoor skills. “Leadership and teamwork are also important lessons of the camp,” said Clarke. “Right when they start, the teens have to do things together because it is physically impossible for them to do them alone.” During their six-day stay, campers enjoy traditional camping activities like hiking, canoeing and swimming. They also have the opportunity to go trail blazing, rock climbing and rappelling. Camper Josh Morefield, 13, said that he enjoyed all of these activities but that his favorite was one that involved team problem solving. On the last afternoon of camp, he and his fellow campers had to build a raft out of barrels, rope and wood in order to get back to the mainland. “It was hard because at first everyone was arguing about the best way to do it,” said Morefield. “But we figured it out. We had to.”
experience. “It was a lot different,” he said. “You had to do a lot more for yourself – build your own fire, build your own tent – but I liked it. It was fun and each day the work got easier.” The Salvation Army has made a three-year commitment to developing Wilderness Camp into a program that will run consistently and concurrently with the camp for younger children. Josh is already looking forward to attending Wilderness Camp next year.
Josh, who previously attended Camp Ladore when he was twelve, could see the difference in the Wilderness Camp
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Disaster Relief Across the Nation
In late April 2011, a series of devastating tornadoes ravaged the southern region of the US, impacting the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Less than one month later, on May 22, 2011, another tornado struck what is arguably Minneapolis’ poorest area, leaving hundreds of families homeless. In both regions, the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Response (EDS) teams provided immediate assistance with the distribution of food and essential living supplies. One year after these devastating storms, Salvation Army EDS volunteers continue to provide comfort and emotional and financial support to impacted families. This spring Salvation Army leaders and volunteers took time to remember the lives lost and recognize the efforts of those working to rebuild. They also expanded their focus to include long-term recovery programs, recognizing that Doing the Most Good often means providing people with the ability to reclaim control of their lives.
classes and job search assistance as well as financial assistance for car repairs, college application fees or new clothing for job interviews. The budget for the first year is $150,000 and will employ two staff members. CREATING AWARENESS FOR ONGOING RECOVERY
One May 3, 2012, FedEx, The Salvation Army and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin welcomed Benjamin Torres, a father of three and Afghanistan and Iraq war veteran, to a new home built after his original home was destroyed by the storms. The home, built by The United Methodist Committee on Relief, was furnished with appliances provided by The Salvation Army as part of a $10,000 donation from FedEx. The Torres home is the first of a 20 homes slated for rebuilding in the Alberta City neighborhood of Tuscaloosa, TN. REBUILDING THE COMMUNITY & HEALING THE SPIRIT
In Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi The Salvation Army partnered with community leaders to identify signature community projects, with a focus on local parks and community centers. In Georgia, The Salvation Army is providing furnishings for the rebuild of Spalding County’s historic 107 year-old Vaughn United Methodist Church, a spiritual landmark destroyed by the storms. ADVICE WITH A LONG-TERM FOCUS
EMPOWERING MINNEAPOLIS
In North Minneapolis, the Salvation Army is providing the tools families need to be self-sufficient through a program called Project Breakthrough. Funded by a two year grant from The Salvation Army Central Territory Headquarters in Chicago, Project Breakthrough aims to help families regain control and limit dependence on public assistance. Project Breakthrough provides individual counseling, budgeting
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In all regions, The Salvation Army has hired additional case workers to provide direct financial assistance as well as long-term case management for resettlement. And while distribution centers continue to provide food, clothing and essential living supplies, those in need are now able to acquire donated building materials, household items, and furniture for their rebuilding efforts. To read about The Salvation Army’s extensive Emergency and Disaster Services efforts, visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org. To support these relief efforts, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
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CAMP LADORE SERVES SENIORS YEAR-ROUND Since 1975, the Salvation Army has operated the Senior Camping Ministry at Ladore in Waymart, PA. Each year thousands of guests, age 50 and older, return to Ladore or visit for the first time. The Adult and Senior Camping Ministry is all about serving seniors! It is a blend of peaceful spirituality, the beauty of nature, and the enjoyment of fun and fitness.
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Ladore To learn more about hosting your next church retreat, senior outing, or family gathering at The Salvation Army Ladore Retreat and Conference Center, call 570-488-6129, or visit:
WWW.LADORE.ORG
OUR MISSION The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs, in His name, without discrimination.
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Gift Options CREDIT CARD
Charge your donation to your Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express card by: » Calling 1-800-Sal-Army » Going Online, using our secure server, at: www.SalvationArmyPendel.org
GIFT OF STOCK AND PLANNED GIVING
Our planned giving staff is available to assist you with a wire transfer of stock or to visit with you to discuss the most appropriate estate plan or provide you with information about charitable gift annuities. For more information, call Sharon Somers at 1-800-262-2523.
SalvationArmyPendel.org/Give MAIL
Help Army programs in your area at any time by sending your check or money order, made payable to The Salvation Army, to 701 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123.
E-TRANSFER
Join the Army’s LifeChangers pledge program by having your gift transferred each month from your checking account directly to The Salvation Army, using electronic fund transfer. For details, call Arminta Watkins at 215-787-2971.
MATCHING GIFTS
To find out if your employer or your spouse’s employer matches charitable contributions, visit our website at www.SalvationArmyPendel.org
UNITED WAY
Designate your gift to The Salvation Army using code #107.
is published by The Salvation Army, PENDEL Division, Divisional Development Department to educate our partners on the services we provide to those in need. If you are receiving duplicate copies of this newsletter or have questions or concerns, please contact Arminta Watkins at 215-787-2971.
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