Every week, our field units fill out an online ‘People Count’ report which summarizes their activities over the last seven days of ministry. I thought that the following two stories did a wonderful job of capturing the heart and the breadth of Salvation Army ministry across the Western US.
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The good news: The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Kapolei, Hawaii opens in a few days!
The bad news: I’m not there splashing around in the Olympic-sized pool, eating local cuisine prepared in the Kroc’s restaurant-quality kitchen.
Starting tomorrow, January 28, there will be a dedication celebration and tours of the facility and a grand opening worship service on Sunday, January 29th at 10:00 AM.
Then, the center will be open for business on Wednesday, February 1, with fitness classes, birthday parties, child care programs, aquatics programs, music and performing arts classes and so much more!
Our national blog will be providing coverage on the dedication weekend so be sure to check their site for more information. Click here for a link.
In the meantime, here are several other ways to learn about the brand-new Kroc Center in Hawaii:
:: Click here for a link to news coverage on the Hawaii News Now website
:: Click here to be connected to the Kroc Center Hawaii’s recently-launched website (it’s beautiful!)
:: Click here and become a ‘friend’ of the Kroc Center Hawaii on Facebook
:: Click here to follow the Kroc Center Hawaii’s Twitter feed
:: Click here to add Kroc Center Hawaii to your circles on Google+
On this day in history, The Salvation Army announced the generous estate gift of Joan B. Kroc, widow of McDonalds founder Ray Kroc. At $1.5 billion, Mrs. Kroc’s donation was the largest individual charitable gift in history!
Billie Robinson spent thirty years of her life taking drugs and drinking alcohol just to make it from one day to the next and often slept at SAFES (Salvation Army Female Emergency Shelter) to escape Portland’s cold and wet weather. Thankfully, this story doesn’t end with Billie comfortably shielded from the elements in a Salvation Army program. Far from it.
Let’s kick off 2012 by updating our social media lists so that our very best Salvation Army Facebook, Twitter and blog links are on it and easy for folks to find. Also, if you find a Twitter or Facebook feed or blog site on these lists that’s not representing the Army well, let me know and I’ll remove them.
Co-worker M.E. Briscoe and I made an emergency / disaster canteen for a Gingerbread House contest as part of our divisional headquarters Christmas Party.
Their loving family included kids from prior marriages as well as adopted and foster children. But this power couple’s most famous “dependent” sold at auction for $266,000! Can you guess who?
He lead the Dallas Cowboys to multiple Super Bowl victories and was the first player to win the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP! And, he’s one of many celebrities who gave their time to promote The Salvation Army’s iconic Red Kettle campaign!
She starred as Elizabeth Bennett in an early film adaptation of Jane Austen’s masterpiece Pride and Prejudice but won an Oscar for her work in Mrs. Miniver. A major box office draw in the 40s, she filmed this brief television ad for The Salvation Army in the 1970s, featured below.
He grew up shooting hoops at a Salvation Army youth center and returned the favor later in life by appearing in a Christmas kettle TV spot. He joined dozens of other notable Americans who filmed brief TV ads during the 50s to the 80s to support The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign.
This television legend was the first inductee into the Comedy Hall of Fame in 1991. Like other celebrities, he was also a fan of the work of The Salvation Army and recorded TV spots during the 1950s through the 1980s to encourage the public to give generously.
For 120 years, The Salvation Army Red Kettle has been an important symbol of Christmas giving and a reminder that as long as there are people who lack the necessities of life, our Army will be here to help. Here’s a list of the stores that have said yes to the kettle again this year. Be sure to shop these stores often:
From our website… Thrift Store Gold!
