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‘It feels good to be part of something again’

VANCOUVER-When Kevin Acker was asked if he wanted to see an Olympic hockey game this week, the Salvation Army facility resident assumed he would watch it on television. He never thought he’d get donated tickets to the men’s Finland-Slovakia match Saturday.

“A year ago, if someone told me I was going to be sitting in a nice place and watching the Olympics, I wouldn’t have believed them,” says Acker, who is recovering from a cocaine-and-alcohol addiction at the Belkin House in Vancouver.

“To learn I’m going to one of the hockey games, man, that was one of the greatest moments of my life.”

Despite the different pasts that have brought them to the facility, Acker said watching the Games has been a good way to bond with the other men and women at the shelter.

A week before the opening ceremonies, the Belkin House set up a 176-inch screen for its more than 225 residents to watch the events.

“Before whatever happened, many of us remember watching other Olympics and remember sports,” said Acker, who is originally from Nova Scotia and moved out to B.C. 11 years ago.

Captain Jim Coggles, executive director of the Salvation Army’s Belkin House, said there was anxiety about the Olympics at first. Administrators didn’t know how the residents - some released from jail, others in addiction recovery or living there as an emergency shelter - would react to watching the Games.

Coggles said the Salvation Army kept the viewing plans for the Games low-key, not putting up signs or pressuring residents to go and watch the events.

But the day the torch came down the street in front of the facility and residents rushed out to see it go past, Coggles said he knew the decision to bring the Olympics into the shelter would be popular.

Dozens came to watch the opening ceremonies in the facility’s auditorium.

“As the Games go along and the spirit catches on, there’s been more and more growing attendance,” said Coggles.

He added that curling are the most popular events.

Just before the first hockey game, Coggles said, one of the residents stood up and encouraged everyone else in the room to stand for the national anthem. As soon as the music started, everyone in the crowd got up and began singing.

During the curling semi-finals, James Chisholm gave a play-by-play, explaining the difference between the team’s skip and the first, second and third positions.

It’s a language that prairie-raised Chisholm knows well, but hasn’t used much in recent years. He is three months into a detox from a cocaine-and-alcohol addiction.

“It feels good to be part of something again,” Chisholm said.

An international organization serving in 119 countries, the 2010 Olympic Games provides The Salvation Army with the opportunity to serve friends from all over the world, and to celebrate the games equally with Vancouver’s at risk population.

Follow The Salvation Army’s Olympic efforts in Vancouver, at

www.saolympics.com

To volunteer, call 604-299-3908

Saturday evening, January 23^rd, was a good night for The Salvation Army in Quesnel. Captains Jim and Deb VanderHeyden accepted on behalf of their hard working and dedicated congregation. the “Community Spirit Award”, presented by the Quesnel and District Chamber of Commerce.

The Quesnel Salvation Army congregation was thrilled, praising God for the opportunities He gives to serve Him and The Salvation Army here in Quesnel.

The Salvation Army in Quesnel provides services to those in need in the Quesnel area that include food/meal programs, family services, support emergency and disaster response, and operates a thrift store.

Stephanie Greeves, Ken Lavigne and Naval Petty Officer Roy Kaighin were awarded a Bravo Zulu from Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, Commander of the Maritime Forces Pacific, at a reception held in the Admiral’s personal residence on January 14.  Bravo Zulu awards are presented by the Admiral to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding dedication and performance.

For more than ten years the three have volunteered their extraordinary talent to the Naden Band Christmas Concerts in support of The Salvation Army’s Christmas toy drive.  The Concerts are an annual gift to the community from the Naden Band and its guest soloists.

“Bravo Zulu means well done,” explained the Rear Admiral. “It’s the highest honour we can give.”

Stephanie and Ken are both accomplished soloists, and Roy is the mastermind behind the music they sing at the Concerts.  As recipients of the Bravo Zulu award, the three are acknowledged for upholding the finest ideals of service to community and Navy.  Bravo Zulu awards are normally presented within the military only; it is a rare and special honour for Bravo Zulu to be presented to civilians, as was done for Ken and Stephanie.

The Salvation Army Army and Wal-Mart in Terrace are teaming up to help the relief effort for Haiti.

The store is donating discontinued clothing valued at $10,000 to the army which will then sell it this Friday, Jan. 22 from 9:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the army’s thrift store.

The proceeds will then be used for relief efforts.

At the same time, the Salvation Army will serve a soup lunch that day for $2.50 a bowl, coffee for 50 cents and bottled water for $1 with all of those proceeds going to Haiti. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We are thrilled to partner with Wal-Mart and we hope the community will come out and take advantage of the wonderful sale for this worthy cause,” says Salvation Army Captain Rosa Moulton.

The federal government of Canada is now matching donations made to the Salvation Army for Haiti by individuals from Jan. 12 up to Feb. 12.

For more up-to-date information on The Salvation Army’s disaster relief efforts in Haiti, and for ways to support, click here.

Relief efforts in Haiti continue to progress, as The Salvation Army in Canada is working in cooperation with The Salvation Army World Services Organization (based in the US).

A supply line through Florida has been established, as Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services personnel are supporting the 700 Salvation Army workers permanently stationed in Haiti-they are providing medical supplies, mobile hospitals, medical teams, bulk water, and by next week over 2 million meals will have been packed and delivered to Haiti.

To support Salvation Army relief efforts in Haiti, and for regular updates, click here.

An update from Sharon Tidd

Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Olympic Outreach Coordinator

Loads of laughter and smiles, a little pomp and ceremony, continuous music and dance … these are the elements that make up a Torch Relay Celebration.  At least that’s what I experienced first-hand in early November.  In each community, it has been about celebrating how blessed we are to live in this amazing country called Canada and about celebrating local heroes who make our cities and communities great.  The Olympic Torch Relay Celebrations have brought communities together in unprecedented ways and The Salvation Army has been thrilled to play a small role in making these celebrations happen.

Already, we have served beverages (and, in some cases, eats too) from Salvation Army canteen trucks in communities across BC, Newfoundland and New Brunswick as the Torch has traveled through.  I was able to help out in five of these communities and every volunteer agreed it was great to be at the centre of the community celebration.  In BC, even the cold, damp weather couldn’t keep people away.  The hot chocolate and coffee that we served was a welcome surprise, and a nice way to warm up cold hands.  This was likely even more pronounced in the Maritimes!  Check out the photos — the line-ups speak for themselves.

In some communities our involvement went further.  At Memorial University in St. John’s Newfoundland, the student campus ministries hosted a free Skate Day for international students as the Torch came through.  In a couple of communities, we were able to provide brass ensembles to entertain the crowds.  Some of our ministry units also hosted special mock-Olympics for their kids’ programs. In many communities along the way our unique Olympics edition of Faith & Friends was made available to people.  And, of course, we know that many have been praying God’s blessing on the celebration communities as the Torch came through.

As the Torch continues its journey back across Ontario and the Canadian Prairies and through BC, we’ll be actively involved in many communities.  Look for our canteen at the main celebration sites.  We’ll also be offering more of those unique activities (ice-hockey and floor-hockey tournaments, mock-Relays, mock-Olympics, anti-trafficking informational events) in many cities.

I can’t put into words the excitement and energy that pervades the Torch Relay Celebrations.  From the youngest infant to the oldest adult, you will witness a pure sense of joy.  This is good, family-friendly fun that embraces everyone.  And who doesn’t need some of that?  If you haven’t planned to take in your community’s event, do!  And if your community isn’t holding a celebration, create your own while the Torch is in the area.  We do have so much to be thankful for in this nation.

We want to extend our sincere thanks to our friends who continually support our organization, and invest in the lives of the people we serve. Together, we believe there is always hope.

Major Brian Venables, Divisional Secretary of Public Relations and Development, accepted a cheque for $4,000 on behalf of The Salvation Army from The Dryer Group Mortgages Inc. Meryll and Jared Dreyer are excited to be partnering with The Salvation Army to support children’s ministries in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army in British Columbia, Major Susan van Duinen, presents a recognition statue to Robert McFarlane, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TELUS Corporation, for their ongoing support of The Salvation Army, and in particular for their sponsorship of The Salvation Army’s Human Sexual Trafficking program.

TELUS has been presenting sponsor of The Salvation Army’s Hope in the City Luncheon for the last three years.

Robert McFarlane serves on the Vancouver Advisory Board of the Salvation Army, British Columbia Division, and on The Salvation Army’s National Advisory Board for the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

Executive Director of the Vancouver Chinese Christian Mission Edwin Kong gives a cheque for $42,000 to The Salvation Army’s Major Brian Venables, to support The Salvation Army’s relief efforts in Haiti.

In giving the donation, Kong remarked on how much the Vancouver Chinese Christian Mission admires The Salvation Army, and that the CCM has modeled their own organization around The Salvation Army’s.

When Lydia and Claudio team members of the Friends of Ferrari learned of the Haiti earthquake they organized a special fund raising day in their restaurant Dario La Piazza. All of their staff donated their time and the net proceeds of $10,000 have been donated to Haiti Relief Funds.

Photo from left - Friends of Ferrari Marco Agostini, Suzann Corona and Franco Corona and Claudio and Lydia Ranallo of Dario La Piazza Restaurant present a donation to Major Brian Venables for the Salvation Army Haiti Relief Fund.

Deborah’s Gate is a 10-bed facility that is located in a secretive location in Vancouver for the security of those being rescued from human sexual trafficking. On December 1 it was ready for its first guests.

The facility is divided into “pods” where three or four young woman can create a new community of support.  The women will receive immediate medical care, help with addictions, legal issues, refugees services as well as 24/7 care and attention from a team of qualified and sensitized staff.

The name Deborah’s Gate is intentional and meant as an inspirational focus that will become a name synonymous with care, love and dignity.  The story of Deborah is recorded in the Old Testament where she served as a judge for all the nations.  She stood for courage in a time of fear, godly wisdom in a time of human reasoning and for decency and order in a chaotic time in history. The “gate” represents an entranceway to a place of sanctuary or refuge, like a garden gate.  It is also a marker or transition point from a hostile world to a place of community and fellowship.

Deborah’s Gate has been made possible due to the generous support of the local community and in particular the Estate of Miriam Burnett, past chair of The Weston Foundation.

The RCMP estimates 800 victims are trafficked into Canada each year, while nongovernmental organizations put that number as high as 16,000. Deborah’s Gate will give victims a chance at a safe, new life.

For more information regarding Human Sexual Trafficking please visit thetruthisntsexy.ca