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A/Captains Al and Roberta Solts recently entered retirement after 11 years of service with The Salvation Army. Al was born in Harrah, Okla., and Roberta in Muncie, Ind. Solts attended Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho.
They began working for the Army in social service and with youth, later transferring to the Sacramento Citadel, where they developed an outpost that later became North Sacramento Corps. They were averaging 55-60 in Holiness meetings by the time they left 16 months later.
Reopening Grass Valley was challenging at first, but during their five years there they outgrew the original facilities and purchased a new church and office building.
In Bakersfield, Calif., they were blessed with hard working local officers and an excellent Advisory Board.
In 1996 Billings, Mont., was hit by the worst winter in 61 years. A donor’s generosity enabled them to oversee the building of a new sanctuary and remodel the office space.
Two of their five children are serving in the Army. Son Keith and his wife Bobbi are lieutenants in Ventura, Calif., and daughter Kay and husband Billy are envoys in charge at Susanville, Calif.
The Solts officially retired October 31, in Boise, Ida. Their retirement address is 725 Aberdeen, Nampa ID 83686-2959.