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Captains Lyn and Joe Thompson present Corporation of the Year award to Gospel Light Productions. |
The Ventura Salvation Army had their annual advisory board dinner recently, presented as a thank you to the community, donors, employees and volunteers for all their help throughout 2003.
Southern California Divisional Commander, Lt. Colonel Alfred Van Cleef and Lt. Colonel Sherryl Van Cleef, divisional director of women’s organizations; the featured speaker Lt. Colonel Don McDougald, national treasurer and secretary for business administration; and Lt. Col. Isa McDougald, editor of Women’s Ministries Resources, were among the 142 guests in attendance.
Captain Joe Thompson, Ventura corps officer, presented awards to volunteer organizations that helped Ventura raise more than $52,000 for the Christmas Kettle campaign. The awards given were the: Corporation of the Year—Gospel Light Productions; Organization of the Year—Community Presbyterian Church; Service Club of the Year—Ventura Rotary Club.
Thompson then spoke of the inspirational work being done at their transitional living center—a 41-bed shelter with a six-month program that helps homeless single women and families to become active members of society. A graduate of the center spoke of how the program helped her find an apartment, a full time job, and assisted her in reunifying her family.
Afterwards, former Ventura corps officer, Lt. Colonel Don McDougald spoke. He reminisced about his time at the Ventura Corps, and spoke glowingly about how it has grown and the direction that it is going. McDouglad also touched on the Joan Kroc donation and the many lives that it will reach.
The evening sailed on with the music of the Crew Cuts, an award-winning group performing music from the 50s.