Where kids can be kidsAtlanta Area Command helps restore hope to
lives of children displaced by Hurricane Katrina
The Salvation Army is being creative with its long-term service
for the victims of Hurricane Katrina by creating a program to meet the needs of
a very specific population-the children impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The
Salvation Army is hosting Camp Hope Restored, a special four-day summer camp in
Jasper, Ga., where all campers will have the opportunity to swim, canoe, enjoy
arts and crafts, go horseback riding and have fun with other children who have
experienced the same hardships as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
"We are very happy to be able to provide this program for
these children," said Major James Seiler, The Salvation Army's Atlanta
area commander. "As a result of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of children,
along with their families, have had their lives uprooted and many are still
dealing with serious issues affecting everyday life. These children have not
had the opportunity to enjoy a typical carefree, childhood summer and we simply
want them to just be kids, enjoy themselves, have fun at camp and know that
someone cares about them."
As one young mother said, "Without
The Salvation Army's Camp Hope Restored, I could never have afforded to
send my children to a summer camp! I am so thankful my children have this
opportunity. This is the first time my children have been away from home since
Hurricane Katrina and I really think it will be good for them."
Carla Daniel
South shares its Katrina experience at Bolivian
event
Christie Sutton of THQ is shown with the
Majors Cruz, Army officers stationed in LaPaz,
Bolivia.
By Brooke Redwine
Southern Spirit staff
Bolivian
military and governmental factions and relief organizations took part in a
training program taught by a network of U.S. relief organizations, including
The Salvation Army. The Disaster Preparedness Conference - recently held in La
Paz, Bolivia - invited speakers who could draw from their experience in the
Gulf coast response to Hurricane Katrina last year.
In
cooperation with the Mississippi State Partnership Program with the Republic of
Bolivia, the USA Southern Territory sent Christie Sutton, EDS administrative
services manager, to lead seminars alongside representatives from the
Mississippi Southern Baptist Convention and the American Red Cross. Sutton gave
participants an introduction to The Salvation Army, including its structure in
South America; an overview of the Incident Command System, its positions and
management principles; a description of the Volunteer Management System and how
it can be implemented in the region; an explanation of liaison officers'
roles in disaster and lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina.
Bolivia has been frequented by hail storms, flooding, mudslides
and forest fires in the last five years. Due to a non-centralized government
response plan, the Bolivian relief organizations are finding it increasingly
difficult to respond to local and regional disasters without having a primary
coordinating entity. Another challenge faced by Bolivian relief workers is
finances. Bolivia is one of the poorest and least-developed nations in Latin
America, which exacerbates the struggle to find volunteers and then to provide
those volunteers with food and lodging.
Of the Army's
influence at the Bolivian conference, Sutton said, "I believe The
Salvation Army had a great impact on the success of this conference, and I look
forward to hearing of the fruits of our labors."
Facilitated through the Mississippi Civil Defense and the
assistance of the American Embassy Military Group in La Paz, Bolivia, the
Mississippi State Partnership Program looks for ways to develop existing social
programs in Bolivia. Several conference attendees, which included divisional
director of Women's Ministries - Major Remedios Gutierrez Cruz of the
Bolivia Altiplano Division - said they came away from the conference with a
deep respect for the Army's disaster response system. He explained the
extent of the Army's EDS program in La Paz and said the conference provided
her an opportunity to enlarge the breadth of the division's disaster
response partnerships.
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Waco's Harrison recognized
for distinguished
service
Janet Harrison of the Texas Division
received the 2006 National Award of Excellence in Corrections for The Salvation
Army at the recent American Correctional Association Congress of Corrections.
Major Ronald Foreman, national social services secretary, made the presentation
at an awards banquet attended by Harrison's peers from all four USA
territories.
Harrison has served The Salvation Army for more
than 30 years. She has served in many capacities and is currently the
administrator of the Comprehensive Sanctions Center in Waco, Texas. Under her
leadership, the center is consistently rated as excellent in program and
operations. In 2002, the Bureau of Prisons awarded the center a perfect report
for the year.
Harrison is known for her strong backing of clients,
encouraging them in job training, employment, living responsibly and
productively and being accountable. She takes much pride in her work to support
people transitioning from correctional facilities back into the community.
Above: (L-R) Major Ronald Foreman, national social services
secretary; Janet Harrison; Kim Ogilvie, Texas divisional social services
director; Major Dorine Foreman, associate national social services secretary;
and Kevin Tomson-Hooper, Southern territorial social services
secretary.
_______________________________________________________________________
__________The Job Board
Salvation Army
employment
Music
instructor
Houston, Texas
Qualifications: Bachelor's degree from an accredited
college or university in youth ministries, music or related field, or any
equivalent combination of training and experience providing the required
knowledge, skills and abilities. Must have valid driver's license.
The music instructor will coordinate and
support all area instrumental music programs in the area, assist in the
development of performance education and training with the Boys & Girls
Clubs and create internal performance opportunities, coordinate the
development, rehearsal and performance of area brass band and assist the
performing arts coordinator in recruiting volunteers as instructors or support
staff.
Send letter of application and resume to:
Margaret_Hero@uss.salvatio
narmy.org or fax to (713) 752-0590.