The Salvation Army Waukesha Invites Public to Many Events Marking 125th Year
News Release
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Salvation Army-Waukesha Invites Public to Many Events Marking 125th Year
Free “Donut Fry” Kick-off, Veterans Event & Museum Exhibit, Free Concert, 5K Run-Walk
Fewer than thirty years after the international Salvation Army charity was founded in London by a Methodist minister in 1865, the rapidly growing organization founded a local unit in Milwaukee, then expanded to Waukesha County in 1894, intent on serving those most in need.
The Waukesha County Salvation Army is celebrating its 125th Anniversary this month with a long list of “community thank you” events intended to express its appreciation for the generous charitable giving and volunteer support-- over twelve decades-- of families, businesses, churches, schools and community leaders across the county. Benefactors have given funds to pay for the events.
First event: Early on the morning of Wednesday, April 24th, a rain-or-shine, free “drive-thru donut fry” will take place in the parking lot of Albanese’s Roadhouse (near Menard’s in Waukesha) from 6-10am. Its purpose is to celebrate and honor the remarkable courage of many young ladies in WW-I who braved live mortars, plunging into front-line trenches in France to serve hot coffee and fresh-made donuts to weary and homesick American soldiers. Many photos documented this history.
Second event: Celebrity women leaders from across Waukesha County, including former Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow, will participate in a fun “donut eating contest” at 8:45 a.m.
Third event: Later that same day, history buffs are invited to a free “punch bowl reception” from 4:30-6:00pm at the WCHSM-Waukesha County Historical Society Museum, housed in newly renovated space within the historic old courthouse at 101 West Main in Waukesha There will be live music for attendees to enjoy as they browse through a special eight-week exhibit of artifacts from Salvation Army’s Waukesha County history, on loan from its Central museum outside of Chicago.
Fourth event: On Friday, April 26th 45-minute guided tours of the Waukesha County Salvation Army’s headquarters at 445 Madison Street will be stepping off at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.. It’s an opportunity to see inside the three-story building and witness the charity’s food pantry, social services area, bread room (roughly 50,000 loaves of bread given away annually), its commercial kitchen and dining room that seats 125 for three weekly hot evening meals served free to anyone, its administrative offices, its Youth Ministry area where the charity’s popular Summer Day Camp is held, and its beautiful 3rd floor chapel that seats 125 persons for Christian worship at 11am each Sunday. Tours will start from the lobby outside the 2nd floor office area.
Fifth event: In the early afternoon of Saturday, April 27th, all who have no cost pre-registrants are warmly invited— especially Veterans— to a one hour history lecture focusing on The Salvation Army’s ongoing relationship with the United States military. Entitled, “A Million Acts of Kindness—The Salvation Army and the Military,” the talk will be presented by historian, Nancy Gasiel, director of the Central Territory’s library and museum in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, near Chicago. Pre-registrants are invited to tour the newly renovated Waukesha County museum and view the special Salvation Army exhibits.
Sixth event: That evening, a free community concert will be performed by the world-renowned CHICAGO STAFF BAND of The Salvation Army. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the beautiful and historic First United Methodist Church of Waukesha, at 121 Wisconsin Avenue. Seating capacity is over 400 and pre-registration is required online at bit.ly/ChicagoBand125th.This is the premier concert band of The Salvation Army in the Midwest; it has performed all over Europe, and has been honored to perform for the Queen of England.
Seventh event: Musicians in the band will stay overnight, then split up to provide the worship music at three different Salvation Army Sunday church locations in both Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties-- (10:30am Milwaukee Citadel, 4129 West Villard Avenue in Milwaukee, 53209)(11:00 Milwaukee Cold Spring Corps, 2900 West Cold Spring Rd in Greenfield, 53221)(11:00am Waukesha County Corps, 445 Madison Street, Waukesha 523188.) The public is always welcome at our weekly worship services.
Eighth event: Both runners and walkers are invited to celebrate the charity’s 125 years of local service to Waukesha County at the fun “SALVATION ARMY SHUFFLE.” This is an officially timed 5K Run and 2-mile Casual Walk, being held within the beautiful Fox River South Nature Area. Entrance fee is just $25 and includes refreshments at the finish line that will be served out of the Waukesha County Salvation Army’s specially equipped Mobile Canteen Kitchen. The run-walk is being generously sponsored by Waukesha’s SPX Transformer Solutions Corporation. Race start time is 2 pm from the west parking lot off Sentry Drive, behind SPX buildings. Day-of on-site registration starts after 12:30 p.m.
“We are so grateful for the generous support, for all these many decades, of both donors and volunteers who support our work in Waukesha County,” said local officer, Major Nelson De La Vergne. “Our job is to do the most good for those most in need, and we have been supported and prayed for by very caring people in this county.”
The Waukesha County Salvation Army operates a large food pantry, a three-nights-per-week hot meal program, an emergency shelter that sleeps fifty men nearly every night, a youth ministry program and summer day camp, a program that visits residents of area nursing homes, and programs that provide emergency prescription assistance, emergency utility assistance, and that feed hungry kids in the summer when school is out of session. It is also a Christian church with services at 11 am Sunday.Hundreds volunteer for the charity each year. If you, your family, your business, your church or your civic organization are interested, you may easily sign up online at WaukeshaSalvationArmy.org or call volunteer coordinator, Kate Meyer, at 262-547-7367.
EVENTS CELEBRATING 125-YEARS
Waukesha County Salvation Army
| Wed, April 24th | 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Free Donut Fry Drive-thru | Albanese’s Roadhouse |
| Wed, April 24th | 8:45 a.m. | Celebrity Donut Eating Contest | Albanese’s Roadhouse |
| Wed, April 24th | 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Opening Reception – Special Exhibit | Waukesha County Museum |
| Fri, April 26th | 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. | Guided Tours – County Corps Headquarters | 445 Madison Street, Waukesha |
| Sat, April 27th | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. | Honoring Veterans – Historian Lecture | Waukesha County Museum |
| Sat, April 27th | 7:00 p.m. | CHICAGO STAFF BAND Free Concert Pre-register: WCHSM.org | First United Methodist Church |
| Sun, April 28th | 11:00 a.m. | Worship Service – All Welcome | 445 Madison Street, Waukesha |
| Sat, May 4th | 2:00 p.m. | SALVATION ARMY SHUFFLE 5K | Sentry Drive – SPX Corporation |
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The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. The Salvation Army was founded in London, England in 1865.