The Salvation Army is calling.....

I spoke with the Salvation Army today. I was rather impressed with them and the conversation that we had. I have to say that I throughly enjoyed speaking with them today.

I called and the gentleman that I spoke with was very pleasant and very patient with me and some of my questions. I told him that we are all interested in volunteering for Thanksgiving and I would like more information on what we needed to do.

Turns out that the Salvation Army, along with several churches, and the Mayor are joining forces and having a rather larger event than usual this year. They will be serving dinner to over 1000 people this year at the Chattanooga Community Center. Unity in the Community. They won't only be serving the homeless, but they will also be serving the needy.

He and I spoke for a considerable amount of time. He told me that they need people to not only serve, but to fill cups with ice, to clear tables, and even to hold babies while parents get to eat. That there are some parents out there that don't get a meal without the child stuck to their hip.

I asked him about the boys, and I told him that they were 12 and 8. Not a problem, bring them. There will be security there, so that wouldn't be a problem. I felt better about that. We would work in shifts and whatever we can do to help would be greatly appreciated.

He told me that these people don't want your handouts, they don't want your money, more than anything they just want your compassion. They just want for one day for someone to help them. Not to where they are helping others. I told him that ever since we had Eric that we wanted to do something like this for Thanksgiving. And that the boys are old enough to help out.

I had told him that I don't have much to give. But we want to give up our Thanksgiving to help others. That is all these people want. They are tired of being looked at, for being condemned, for being homeless. Some can't help it, we all know that there are some out there that are homeless because of drugs and gambling. But there are some that their luck was bad, and the world just basically turned against them.

So, I will talk to Chuck about this. I feel that this is the way to go this year. It is something that we need to do. We have been so blessed over the years to be able to have the Thanksgivings that we have had, to have the family around us, to have all the food on the table, the warmth of a house, the laughter that fills the rooms, and the love that comes into our home. So it is our turn to give back to the community. Cleveland doesn't have this for us to do. So, we have to go to Chattanooga. A larger community with more need. They are working on something in Cleveland in the near future, but for now they are hitting the area with the most need.

This Thanksgiving will be a little different for us. But I think it will be the most rewarding, the most eye opening, and the most blessed Thanksgiving that we have had in our lifetime.