Making a Difference in the Midwest During COVID-19, May 12
During the COVID-19 pandemic, caring for our neighbors is the order of the day. This past week saw an outpouring of kindness as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, socially distanced but united together in purpose.
Thank You
It’s an interesting time, with the world changing rapidly and so many individuals stepping up to help those in need in our communities. Last week, thousands helped to provide critical funds for The Salvation Army’s COVID-19 relief efforts through fundraising events such as #GivingTuesdayNow and other state or locally organized fundraising drives. Thank you. We can’t say it enough to those who have donated.
Love in the Time of COVID-19
Majors John and Julie Aren met at a Salvation Army music camp and have rarely left each other’s side since. That is, until COVID-19 came calling. During the pandemic, Major John began playing nightly concerts from his Chicago balcony, bringing joy to the neighborhood, until both he and Major Julie were diagnosed with COVID-19 on April 7. A short time later, Major John was admitted to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center with difficulty breathing and in need of oxygen. Five days later, he was released to complete his recuperation at home. But he remained quarantined from his wife as an extra precaution. She is staying down the street, within earshot of the couple’s balcony. After about three weeks, Major John finally felt well enough to pick up his horn and resume his balcony concerts, this time to serenade Major Julie as well as his neighbors. He ends every song with “Wash and Pray.”
Camp Feed the Hungry
COVID-19 has forced the closure of Salvation Army camp facilities across the Central Territory, but that doesn’t mean the lights are off and no one is home. Wonderland Camp’s kitchen is buzzing with activity. The Wisconsin camp’s industrial kitchen and dining hall are being used to prepare meals for distribution to those in need in the Chicagoland area. EDS staff and volunteers are preparing more than 2,800 frozen entrees per week.
VE-Day is for Everyone
May 8, 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe – also known as VE-Day. It’s a day of celebration and remembrance shared with our WWII allies, particularly poignant for those few surviving veterans. Due to COVID-19, this year’s VE-Day commemorations around the world were necessarily different.
Normally the 37 surviving members of Minneapolis’s Russian WWII veteran community celebrate together. This year, plans changed. Captain Ilona Schaal still made sure that the day was recognized and the veterans honored. She is both the Booth Manor Residence Administrator in Minneapolis, and the great-granddaughter of a Russian WWII soldier.
A third of Booth Manor’s residents speak Russian and two are Russian WWII veterans.
Captain Schaal presented the veterans with a special recognition packet containing a thank you letter and medal sent by the Russian government. Additionally, they received red carnations. “The red carnations represent celebration, but they also signify the blood that was shed and the dedication and heart displayed by all those who served,” Schaal said. After commemorating VE-Day with Booth Manor residents, she then delivered recognition packets and carnations to the other 35 Russian WWII veterans who live in Minneapolis.
A Different Sort of Parade
The Salvation Army Adult Day Care Center in Maplewood, MN has been forced to close its doors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The center is ordinarily full of activity and provides award-winning care for adults with dementia or disabilities. Trained staff also offer guidance and support for caregivers.
Last week, center participants and caregivers formed a car parade as they drove past the center. They wished to thank the staff for their excellent care and let them know that they were missed. Center staff and volunteers played music, held up signs and cheered back as the parade drove past. One center participant even displayed a sign reading: “Done with distance learning. I want to come back.”
The outpouring of kindness that we have seen this past week, and over the past months, shows how the love of Christ shines through us.
Thank you for your continued support of The Salvation Army. Without you, we would not be able to Do the Most Good.