Southern Spirit February 29, 2016 | Seite 7

5 y 29, 2016 s & Advisory Boards ork hard. Find out how they’re doing the most good. The Memphis, Tennessee, Women’s Auxiliary has approximately 500 members, and they serve consistently at the VA hospital, in shelters conducting Bible studies and at the Mid-South Adult Rehabilitation Center. Auxiliary president Susan Madden said that just 18 months ago, they started the Give, The Central Maryland Area Command Women’s Auxiliary in Baltimore has had a strong, enduring 91-year-old force behind it in Anne France since 1988. She’s held ev- Pray, Serve Squad (GPS). Its aim is to get high school students involved in volunteerism (ringing bells, working at Angel Tree warehouse, wrapping gifts, baking cakes for the ARC, hosting a back-to-school fair and attending monthly family fun nights for the shelters) in the name of The Salvation Army. “Today it has grown to over 200 student members. These young people are volunteering all over our community. Best of all,” said Madden, “they are thinking ‘Salvation Army’ at an early age which we hope will transfer into their adult life.” ery office except treasurer during her tenure and she raises $6,000 annually by influencing friends and family to donate towards Christmas stockings for older children. “She also consistently writes personal thank you notes to all of our donors on a monthly basis,” said Major Rebecca Hogg. “We have credited her to helping increase our top level donors by 10 to 15 per- Captain Jason Perdieu, corps officer, said the Waynesboro, Virginia Advisory Board is just over two years old, headed by board chairperson Teresa Gauldin. Property and store committees have made steady improvements on the family store and corps signage, and the board actively volunteers with Angel Tree and kettles. “We are blessed that our advisory board has really bought into the mission and message,” said Captain Perdieu. “One of our board members, Harold Cook, has even made The Salvation Army his church and will be enrolled as an adherent.” The Columbia, South Carolina, Advisory Board has helped to reinvent The Salvation Army in the Midlands of South Carolina. In the last five years, United Way funding has increased from $17,000 to more than $350,000 per year. The meals service to the homeless and Some of the ways that the Tyler Advisory Board serves are by leading Angel cent. She averages about 500 notes per quarter.” The Princeton, West Virginia, Advisory Board is also buoyed by a long-serving member in Jake Hatcher, the oldest living World War II veteran in West Virginia. Major Art Penhale, Maryland-West Virginia area commander, said Hatcher is still very actively serving the board. KentuckyTennessee Memphis, Tennessee, Women’s Auxiliary Nashville, Tennessee, Advisory Board Left: Auxiliary members Tina Roberts and Jan Sawyer enjoying Christmas Tea Fundraiser Right: Nashville Advisory Board member, Walker Mathews the Angel Tree families by providing for children needing braces, paying for college and other financial needs. MarylandWest Virginia Central Maryland A/C Women’s Auxiliary Princeton, West Virginia, Advisory Board National CapitalVirginia Waynesboro, Virginia, Advisory Board National Capital Auxiliary With a flagship fundraiser being the 67-year-old fashion show, the National Capital Women’s Auxiliary raises upwards of $100,000 annually for ministries such as Turning Point, a transitional housing program for mothers and children and Camp Happyland. Last year, the group raised $150,000 for such needs as Easter baskets for the kids at hungry has grown from preparing and serving one to three meals per day – breakfast, lunch and supper – an average of 18,000 meals served per month. The board’s support helped the growth process during the Midlands’ “1,000year flood” in October 2015 when hundreds of thousands of dollars were donated for Salvation Army disaster relief work. New to the auxiliary network is the Greenville, South Carolina, Women’s Auxiliary. As the state’s flagship, and first ever, auxiliary, the group hit the ground running upon its inception one Tree volunteers; soup drives; tutoring for the after-school program; providing Having previously served as chairman of the Nashville, Tennessee, Advisory Board between 2013 and 2015, Walker Mathews understands not just what goes on behind the scenes of a successful board, but also the heart that goes into the service. Major Jim Arrowood, divisional commander, said Mathews has been “a tremendous asset to the Army for years.” Mathews has a particular passion to serve Angel Tree families. He volunteers to interview clients and adopts angels every year. He has personally continued to support transport for residents in the William and Catherin