Mary Smith was today’s presenter.  Mary was born in Carlisle PA and grew up in Wilmington, DE.  She attended Dickinson College and graduate school at Wake Forest University and University of Delaware.  Mary lived in Washington, DC for most of her adult life working at several Trade Associations.  She is married to fellow Rotarian Jed Smith.  Mary and Jed are the parents of three grown children.  Mary and Jed were weekenders in Gettysburg for many years before moving here full time in 2013.

 

Mary began the program by recognizing and thanking Kib Roulette for his long time self-effacing service to the Salvation Army.  Mary credited him with having a large hand in the Salvation Army’s success in Gettysburg.  Kib remains involved today as the publicity person. 

 

Mary began with three questions 1) Where is Jane Scott; 2) Where is the Red Kettle and 3) Why are you here in April?

 

For many, many years, Jane Scott, like Kib Roulette, was synonymous with The Salvation Army.  Jane continues to serve in an Advisory capacity with The Salvation Army but has retired her lead volunteer role.  Many people see The Salvation Army only as the red kettle at Christmastime when in fact it provides year round services to those in need.  

 

The Salvation Army’s services of evangelism and social action began in East London, England in 1865 by Methodist minister William Booth.  He had a desire to share the gospel by reaching those in most need where they lived and toiled – on the streets. It was his desire to go where few churches were willing or able to venture.  Initially thieves, prostitutes, gamblers, and drunkards were among his first converts to Christianity, and as his ministry grew, the gospel of Jesus Christ was spread far and wide to the poor, the vulnerable, and the destitute.

 

Booth modeled his Methodist sect after the British army, labeling uniformed ministers as “officers” and new members as “recruits.”  The Christian Mission, in which women were given ranks equal with men, launched “campaigns” into London’s most forsaken neighborhoods. 

The unofficial motto of the Salvation Army is the three S’s, Soup, Soap and Salvation.  The three ‘S’s’ best expressed the way in which the Army administered to the ‘down and outs’: first, soup; second, soap; and finally, salvation.

The Red Kettle tradition began in San Francisco when in December of 1891, the Salvation Army Captain there had a desire to provide a free Christmas dinner to the area’s poor persons.  To raise money for the dinner, he remembered how on the docks in England there would be a large black pot into which charitable donations were thrown by passers-by.  He decided to place a similar red kettle near the ferry boats.

The Salvation Army has a presence in over 100 countries worldwide, providing over 300,000 people per night with shelter, over 25 million people per year are assisted by the Salvation Army programs and services.  Here in Gettysburg, the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign raised  $41,000 last year.  The organization distributed almost $55,000 worth of services, including 125 turkeys to SCAAP, 30 turkeys to Manos Unidas and do provide up to $250 per family unit to assist with shelter and/or food needs.  The goal is to provide a “hand up” not a “hand out.”   

The Salvation Army can use volunteers throughout the year, particularly in the following areas:

For more information or to volunteer contact Mary Smith at mjsmith@aol.com or (717)968-4602.