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Salvation Army honors local supporters
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The Salvation Army Turlock Corps is celebrating 15 years of “doing the most good” with an anniversary gala. The service organization will honor five Turlock residents at the event.
Darryl Crow, Don Smith, Kirk Sperry, Bert Van Tassel, and Tom Watling will all be guests of honor at the Sept. 17 gala. Major Debi Shrum said that the event was basically a thank you to the five people who helped create the Salvation Army Turlock Corps Community Center on Lander Avenue.
Major David Ebel, Turlock’s first Salvation Army officer, will also be honored at the event. Curt Andre, former mayor of Turlock, will be the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Shrum said that Andre is a long-time Salvation Army Supporter, and as Mayor, he played a role in bringing the community center to Turlock.
When the Salvation Army came back to Turlock 15 years ago they were a service extension, rather than a corps. They had limited social services and very few of the programs they have today. They then became an outpost, and with the help of the Modesto Corps they became the Turlock Corps.
A Salvation Army Corps, however, needed a building to call home. Shrum said that the five honorees volunteered to help fundraise the $4 million needed to build the community center, against the advice of some fellow Turlockers.
“Beyond all odds, they did it,” Shrum said.
Jim Madsen, Chairman of The Salvation Army Community Advisory Board, said that the gala was an opportunity to thank people who gave their talents to help the Salvation Army in Turlock.
“Without their dedication 15 years ago, we certainly would not be where we are today,” Madsen said.
At the gala, community members will have the opportunity to tour the Turlock Corps Community Center. The building includes office space, a full sized gym, a game room, and an industrial sized pantry and freezers to store food for emergency baskets.
“We offer a lot more services than were offered when it was a service extension, or even an outpost,” Shrum said.
Shrum and other Salvation Army volunteers will also be leading tours of Silvercrest Senior Residence, a community for low-income senior citizens. Part of the $4 million raised for the community center went towards the construction of Silvercrest, which is owned by the Salvation Army.
Local restaurants will be providing heavy hors d’oevres for the event, which is open to the public by invitation. To receive an invitation or RSVP, or for more information about the Salvation Army, call 667-6091.
To contact Andrea Goodwin, e-mail agoodwin@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2003.