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San Diego area holds successful women’s rally.
Participants work on crafts at the recent Bring One Woman event in El Cajon, Calif. |
San Diego Centre City, Calif. corps: Corps Officer Captain Trish Poochigian, along with her women’s ministry secretary Michele Brindle and Home League secretary Petrea Saunders, prepared a “Bring One Woman” dinner for league members and friends prior to a rally at El Cajon. Each member invited friends and acquaintances, including women from the Family Development Center and Rachel’s House, a nearby shelter. Forty-one women attended—25 of them new! Pat & Oscar’s catered the dinner. During the evening attendees learned about the Salvation Army programs offered at the Centre City Corps. Following dinner, the group gathered at El Cajon for dessert and fellowship.
The Bring One Woman rally, held in El Cajon, Calif., drew 114 women from the six San Diego area corps. Attendance exceeded El Cajon Corps Officer Captain Mary Norton’s faith goal of 100 women to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Home League.
At one end of the fellowship room desserts were set out, and at the other end, craft tables. Desserts in hand (and mouth!), participants made pins as mementos of the evening, courtesy of Rosalie Doom (San Diego Citadel). Desserts included a birthday cake decorated with “100”—but no candles. That many candles might have brought the fire marshal to visit; as it was the street doors had to be open to accommodate the large group!
After dessert and crafts, the group moved into the chapel, where Shirley Green (El Cajon) led a game of “Deal or No Deal.” Lt. Colonel Diane O’Brien, director of women’s ministries, presented Home League history, and Captain Nancy Ball, divisional women’s ministries secretary, explained the upcoming territorial WOW (Win One Woman) event. Captain Geraldine Leonard (University Avenue Corps) brought a devotional message.
“The Bring One Woman rallies have been such a successful experiment that we plan to do something similar next year,” said O’Brien. “It’s a celebration to which ladies can bring new friends. We want to meet in this type of area group once a year, and then also have a divisional camp.”
