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by Heather Brooks –
On behalf of the Napa, Calif. Salvation Army, Walt and Dana Spicer spent most of their Christmas break helping those whose lives were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi. After weeks of volunteering their time, they were tired and anxious to be home.
Just six hours after the spicers arrived home, the Napa River came rushing over its banks, and without thinking twice Walt put back on his emergency hat and headed out into the field, this time assisting his own neighbors!
“I just jumped right into it,” said Spicer. After driving the emergency canteen vehicle down flooded streets and providing those in need with food and hot beverages, he was then asked to position the vehicle at the flood assistance center on Elm Street.
Although Napa’s flood caused a small amount of damage compared to that of the Gulf Coast, Walt was just as willing to spend long days taking care of the local people whose lives were affected. And I am sure they were just as happy to see him as the people in Mississippi had been.
Spicer knows that the town of Napa will bounce back from this unfortunate event. He admits, “We are all learning from this. Our plan needs to be fine tuned, but I think we will be prepared for the next one!”
Spicer, 77, is the chairman of Napa’s Salvation Army Advisory Board. He has been with the Army for four years and has been a great asset to the board. He always is willing to go the extra mile for The Salvation Army. He is a perfect example of why The Salvation Army truly respects and appreciates its volunteers.