Photo By Sgt. Kerry Larsen | Capt. Jeff Carter (left) and Maj. Tim Miller of the Salvation Army barbecue hamburgers...... read more read more
JAMESTOWN, N.D. - Volunteers from the Jamestown chapter of the Salvation Army, supported by the American Red Cross and the community food bank, are providing home-cooked meals for Soldiers and Airmen supporting local flood relief efforts.
Twice-daily deliveries at the Tactical Operations Center in the Jamestown Firehouse and at Field Maintenance Shop are providing support to troops deployed in the Jamestown area.
The volunteers are providing a variety of free services for area residents, including meals, financial assistance, food supplies, clothing and cleaning kits for homes sustaining water damage from the flood.
The relief efforts began on March 25 providing meals for evacuees of the Anne Carlson Center temporarily housed at the Jamestown Civic Center due to flash flood concerns. According to Salvation Army Maj. Tim Miller, the outreach effort began in earnest on April 2 with 1,000 disaster meals, provided by the volunteer workers.
During April, 1,248 volunteer hours have been logged, producing a staggering 13,222 disaster meals, 17,600 beverages and 15,575 snacks.
According to Miller, his office is continuing to work with the local Red Cross, area churches and businesses and others to continue to provide services as long as they are needed. He also applauded the close working relationships between the agencies involved. "We have always received great monthly support from the food bank. The flood has brought us closer together. I have certainly developed a much greater respect and appreciation for them, especially the Red Cross, and I hope they have an appreciation for us, too," said Miller.
Since the first week of April, the Salvation Army has received in excess of four tons of food from the community food bank, in addition to the regular monthly supply. Local businesses are also supporting the effort with donations.
"I've always believed that you can't out give God. That brings us to the spiritual element of what we do. I think it's important that whether you believe in Him or not, that the principle that you cannot out give is central. While I hope that people have benefited from our efforts, we in turn have benefited just as much by doing it. When you help others you receive a blessing. It comes back to you in many more ways than you can realize," said Miller.
The Salvation Army founded in England in 1865. William Booth, a London minister, decided to take his message into the streets where it would reach the poor, homeless, hungry and the destitute.
By the 1900s, the Salvation Army had spread around the world. With a structure loosely based on military organization, The Salvation Army soon had officers and soldiers in 36 countries, including the United States. During World War II, The Salvation Army operated 3,000 service units for the armed forces, which led to the formation of the United Service Organization, or USO.
Booth's original aim was to send converts to established churches of the day, but soon realized that the poor did not feel comfortable or welcome in the pews of most of the churches and chapels of Victorian England. Regular churchgoers were appalled when these shabbily dressed, unwashed people came to join them in worship.
Booth decided to found a church especially for them — the East London Christian Mission. In May of 1878, Booth summoned his son, Bramwell, and his good friend George Railton to read a proof of the Christian Mission's annual report. At the top it read: The Christioan Mission is a Volunteer Army. Bramwell strongly objected to this wording. In a flash of inspiration, Booth crossed out "Volunteer" and wrote "Salvation." The Salvation Army was born.
| Date Taken: | 05.12.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.12.2009 18:34 |
| Story ID: | 33535 |
| Location: | JAMESTOWN, US |
| Web Views: | 227 |
| Downloads: | 212 |
This work, Reaching Out in a Time of Need, by SGT Kerry Larsen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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