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Karen Gleason, Editor
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule” (Matt. 5:3 MSG).
COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO—Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) Mayor Sandi Bloem, who after 12 years in office won’t be seeking re-election, recently spoke about what has influenced her…and it’s The Salvation Army.
“The work with the Salvation Army—which I didn’t know much about before working with the Kroc Center—truly changed my life,” she said, “watching the people I [worked] with in the Army, their dedication, their commitment to what they’re doing, their sacrifices of what they’ve made giving their lives to others.”
MODESTO, CALIF.—On a visit to The Salvation Army, 7-year-old Ben Parker noticed the people waiting to receive a meal. He learned that the Army would feed about 200 people.
Returning home, he and his brother Jed put a picture of a red shield on a coffee can and labeled it, “Ben and Jed’s Can of Hope.” They started accepting donations and by the next day, they already had $9.
Lt. Colonels Richard and Bettie Love are the corps officers.
STOCKTON, CALIF.—Corps members volunteered at a Salvation Army booth during Stockton’s annual three-day Asparagus Festival. They shared information about the Army and its programs in San Joaquin County.
The award-winning festival—the largest charitable special event in California—has donated over $5.8 million to date to 129 charities that volunteer each year at the festival.
Captains Cristian and Rebeca Sibaja are the corps officers.
BELLINGHAM, WASH.—The corps’ social services director, Cathy Dearman, visited a corps member who was dying in a nursing home. The woman had been unable to speak for several years, and her family was unsure of her salvation. Dearman knelt by her bed and prayed the salvation prayer for the woman. At the end of the prayer, the woman miraculously spoke, saying, “I know him.” Shortly afterwards, she was promoted to Glory.
Majors James and Beverley Lloyd are the corps officers.
SAN FRANCISCO—New Frontier recently printed a story about Envoy Roger McCort, in-charge at the Lighthouse Corps, and his online sermons. Until then, his posts brought in about 900 listeners each month. Since the story ran, the podcast “attendance” rose 36 percent. Just two weeks after the article appeared, over 1,400 listeners showed up in the monthly report—an increase of 500 listeners!
YAKIMA, WASH.—The Home League held its 58th annual Nursing Home Luncheon, themed “Angels All Around.” This event began with 11 women and has expanded to over 100. Home League Secretary Dorothy Woodward has been to all but one of the luncheons.
Captain Dawn Smith, corps officer with her husband, Jack, led the program, Major Kathy Sargent gave the message and Joanne Sargent played piano for a singalong.
