Celebrate Women's History Month with Auxiliary Captain Leonita Schweigert
Auxiliary Captain Leonita Schweigert has been serving The Salvation Army of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan as an officer for the past three years. She has many years of experience with The Salvation Army as a volunteer and employee.
Back in 2012, Leonita started volunteering at our Divisional Headquarters assisting our volunteer director when she heard her calling from God to become a leader within The Salvation Army. After two weeks of expressing her passion to become an officer, she was sent to The Salvation Army of Hancock to become the Corps Administrator in August 2015. While she was there, she ran the worship and community center; rebuilding the women’s ministries, conducting worship services, and serving those in need.
What makes auxiliary captains different than other officers? These individuals do not attend the College for Officers Training as other officers do. A/Captains receive more on the job training and take online courses to receive credit toward becoming an officer.
Leonita is currently assisting the La Crosse County Corps Officers, Majors Jeffrey and Debra Richardson. She provides pastoral care, leads Sunday Worship, provides Pathway of Hope pastoral care and more. A/Captain Schweigert wants the public to know that The Salvation Army is a church that provides soup, soap and salvation to all in need.
Catherine Booth, co-founder of The Salvation Army, fought to put women in the pulpit and Leonita lives her passion for officership by changing lives and bringing people to the Lord. She loves to be creative in her worship and feels there is nothing better than to serve God in The Salvation Army.
Leonita’s favorite scripture is Isaiah 41:13 “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” She said that it helped her get through a tough time in her life.
Each week, during March, we want to share the women who help spread the word of our Savoir and help those during their darkest times. Look for more stories featuring our female officers coming next week!