A War Hero for Hope: Remembrance Day

(Photo: Captain Mark Dunstan and Bill)

Bill is a veteran who is 90 years young. Despite health challenges over the years and living on a very limited income, Bill has made significant contribution to the community of Abbotsford attending City Council meetings regularly for years, speaking to issues of concern and actually gave blood regularly to the Red Cross; “I gave 210 pints of blood over the years until they told me I was too old”, Bill says with a chuckle.

Bill joined the Canadian Military on the day of his 18th birthday and served in Nova Scotia and overseas in WW2. He reflects on the day his ship was arriving in the Halifax harbor and was so moved that The Salvation Army and others were there to welcome them home. “That was so impactful for me”, Bill recalls.

As life circumstances would have it, Bill re-located to BC in 1998 and has been coming to The Salvation Army ever since.

Though slowing down due to health concerns, Bill still drives his 1991 Cavalier and visits The Salvation Army Centre of Hope in Abbotsford as often as he is able.

For Bill, the nutritious meals provided at The Centre help him offset his limited funds for other life essentials such as rent, heat and hydro, and gas for his car to get to medical appointments and to The Centre of Hope.

Though on a very limited income, Bill is a monthly donor to the Meal Centre because he feels it’s important to give back and contribute to The Salvation Army because they “do so much good”.

Bill suggests that the meals are an absolute blessing to him, but that the fellowship and the community of support with all of his friends at the Meal Centre is just as big a blessing.

When I asked Bill what The Salvation Army meant to him, he responded;

“To me, the word salvation sums it up. I think of it more now that my life is nearing its end. That word means so much to me, as do the kind folks at The Centre of Hope; I think the world of them.”