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Anecdotes, facts and lore…how do you separate one from the other? How do you combine a little of each into one reader-friendly anthology that will be of use to Salvationists, advisory board members and reporters—as well as of interest to the general public, people who haven’t a clue what The Salvation Army is all about?
A project first inspired by Lt. Colonel Chris Buchanan, given enormous support by Colonels Henry and Marie Koerner and encouraged by Lt. Colonels Richard and Bettie Love, tries to put it into focus.
Shown on these pages are excerpts from a section in the anthology on the 1906 earthquake. When all but two of its San Francisco buildings were destroyed, the Army concentrated on helping with the mass exodus of residents from the city. While San Francisco was burning, many Salvationists were feeding and housing refugees in Oakland.
Do you have a story?
Current histories of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake have very little information about Salvation Army relief efforts. The 2006 centennial celebration, which historians are probably already working on, is an excellent opportunity for us to share the Army’s story with them and put it into context.
After all the statistics are in and all the official reports completed, it’s often the anecdotes and personal memories that stay in people’s minds.
If you know of diaries or word-of-mouth anecdotes passed down through generations about the earthquake or other stories which provide an otherwise unrecorded personal insight into the Army’s soul (for instance, what are your best personal best memories of 101 Valencia?) please contact Judy Vaughn at:
Judy_Vaughn@usw.salvationarmy.org.
459 Valley Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 826-7419