Salvation Army serves up sharing spirit

The Killeen Daily Herald ^ | November 24, 2006 | Emily Baker

[Zakeet]

Golmon Holmes has no food, no money, no family in Killeen and no electricity in his apartment, but he didn't let his troubles stop him from helping others Thursday.

Holmes, 59, just spent the last of his money on rent and a security deposit on his apartment. He visits the Killeen Mission Soup Kitchen while he waits to be processed for food stamps and looks for a job.

He asked around to find out where he could eat on Thanksgiving, and he learned about the Salvation Army's annual meal at First United Methodist Church.

"I think it's wonderful," Holmes said as he ate an overflowing plate of turkey, potatoes, corn and other Thanksgiving fare. "I wouldn't have eaten today if it weren't for this, not a meal like this, anyway."

Holmes was so touched by the free meal and the volunteers who prepared it and served him, he left his information for coordinators and insisted they contact him when they need help. Holmes also picked up extra food for his neighbor "who doesn't get around too good.

"I'm blessed to be able to eat here," Holmes said.

More than 70 volunteers began cooking food at 7 a.m. Thursday, said Salvation Army Maj. Mary Dell Tolcher, who coordinated the big meal.

Tolcher started the day with 17 turkeys donated by churches around town, three cases of stuffing mix, 10 giant cans each of corn and green beans, "cans and cans and cans" of sweet potatoes, lots of cranberry sauce and more than a dozen over-sized pies.

"I can't even tell you how much mashed potatoes we have," Tolcher said, laughing.

But, they began running out of food an hour after they started serving food at noon. In the first 10 minutes, volunteers had delivered 80 meals to homebound residents and handed out 59 takeout meals. Tolcher said the Salvation Army fed about 200 people last year.

"We are feverishly feeding and carrying out," Tolcher said.

Anyone who came by was welcome to eat. Amber Twiss found the meal while she was enjoying a bike ride on a warm afternoon.

"I saw people walking around and thought, What's going on,'" Twiss said. "The people were really friendly and sat me down and kept bringing me food. A little boy gave me pie and tea, which I thought was really nice."

Twiss decided to spend the rest of her afternoon volunteering to help other hungry passers-by.

Many of the volunteers were children who wanted to help because others had helped them or simply because it is the right thing to do, they said.

Alejandro Baisman, 12, had a nice Christmas last year because of the Salvation Army's Angel Tree, which connected him and someone in the community who purchased a gift for him, so he wanted to help the Salvation Army in return.

"My mom taught me it is important to give back," Alejandro said. "I like to see this many people come. It's good to help them."

Carolyn Bird, 11, has been volunteering "ever since (she) could walk" and put Thursday's volunteer hours toward her Girl Scout projects. She enjoyed it so much, she decided she would help out next year, too.

It's easier for her to volunteer because she doesn't necessarily disrupt her family's holiday. Because her father is in the Army, her family doesn't always celebrate a holiday on the actual day, she said. The Bird family enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal at a Fort Hood dining facility Wednesday, volunteered together at the Salvation Army on Thursday and planned to have their family meal Friday.

Grace Ruiz had to divide her holiday between volunteering with the Salvation Army and work. She had worked until 1 Thursday morning and still came to volunteer.

"I would feel bad if I stayed home," said Ruiz, who works two jobs to care for her family, including one with the Salvation Army, though her work Thursday was voluntary.

"It is very important to be here. I won't have anything in my heart that I wasn't here. First, the Lord gives me life and then good health so I can be here. That means I should be here."

[Zakeet]

Another story by my newspaper reporter daughter.

Even though I am obviously biased, I still think she did a decent job of capturing the benefit of faith based charity service for both donors and recipients.

[sgtbono2002]

I look around at the organisations who do good works and I wonder who will do these good woks years from now when the current volunteers have grown unable. So mnay who volunteer are older citizens who have been doing this for years. We need younger people helping. Todays youth seldom volunteer to do much of anything. Its good to see a young person with a heart.