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Nearly 60 years ago, Salvation Army Probationary Lieutenant Dolores Rivitt stepped off a steamship and caught her first glimpse of Sitka, Alaska. This marked the beginning of her adventures serving in Alaska and her lifelong love for its people.
One of her first assignments in Sitka was to help plan and organize the 1951 Alaska Congress. Arranging for housing and meals for the delegates was a wonderful opportunity for her to get acquainted with the people in this small community.
Over the next 42 years, Rivitt, as she is affectionately called, would return four more times to serve in the community of Sitka, earning her a special place in the hearts of its people.
Sitka is a part of Major Dolores Rivitt, so it was fitting that she returned “home” to participate in the 2010 Alaska Congress. When asked for her impressions about the Congress, she said, “It’s really all about our ministry to people; you just have to love them.”
