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Salvation Army, just a phone call away
BY CHARLYN FINN
“Put a nickel on the drum, save another drunken bum.”
That is the first lyric of the original Salvation Army song.
The Salvation Army sought way back when to raise funds to save alcoholics.
They still do, but now the services have extended to so much more.
It is a Christmas tradition to see members of the Salvation Army at some shopping areas ringing their bells and standing in front of a kettle where hopefully passersby will contribute donations.
“But we will not be soliciting, we will wish you a merry Christmas,” says Marianne Cochrum, one of the four local members. “We will thank you if you make a donation. I hope we will be starting a good Christmas tradition.”
The Salvation Army has a regional extension office in San Antonio. The Port Lavaca branch is part of the San Antonio extension office. In Port Lavaca, there is no office, but the four members have a cell phone which is passed around as each member goes on duty.
Anyone in need of the Salvation Army in Port Lavaca dials 281-5445.
“We are a group of volunteers dispersing Salvation Army services,” Cochrum said.
She explains that her group is not the only group historically to represent the Salvation Army locally. “There were two ladies working out of the Port Lavaca Police Department that dispersed Salvation Army services,” she said. “They had to give it up. We didn’t want to lose the Salvation Army locally. In March 2008, a new group took over so it would not be lost. There is a great need for it in the community.”
According to Cochrum, the Salvation Army tends to supplement what other groups provide. She said the Salvation Army will provide medical items to qualifying persons such as surgical boots. Insurance does not cover the surgical boots worn after surgery.
The Salvation Army will also pay for deposits for new rentals for qualifying persons, and it will pay for gasoline vouchers for doctors’ appointments, to mention a couple of the services. The key word is “qualifying” people.
Salvation Army is funded by donations and the United Way.
Over the Christmas season is when the public really notices the Salvation Army and, in particular, the kettles where deposits are dropped.
“The kettle is being returned to Port Lavaca for Christmas,” Cochrum said. “The important thing about the kettle is every cent put in that kettle stays here.”
The Salvation Army will be at the front entrance of Wal-mart every Friday and Saturday from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
The members will be wearing red, have a sign, standing behind their kettle and ringing their bells.
On Dec. 22 and 23, the Honor Society from Calhoun High School will be standing in front of the kettle. The members surprised Cochrum by volunteering to help.
“I cannot tell you how happy I was to get that telephone call,” Cochrum said. “That was not just volunteering, it was enthusiastic volunteering.”
Also, the Port Lavaca Police Department has volunteered 100 percent to transport funds to those calling Salvation Army in the middle of the night.
Cochrum says the police department has the true spirit of the Salvation Army. She recalls a time a police officer arrested a drunken driver and then found a place for the man’s wife and child that were inside the vehicle.
Cochrum said the Salvation Army is much in need of donations now. Until Jan. 1, they have only $357 left in cash.
The Salvation Army volunteers also volunteer to help the Calhoun County Ministry, the Food Bank and other groups.
That is the first lyric of the original Salvation Army song.
The Salvation Army sought way back when to raise funds to save alcoholics.
They still do, but now the services have extended to so much more.
It is a Christmas tradition to see members of the Salvation Army at some shopping areas ringing their bells and standing in front of a kettle where hopefully passersby will contribute donations.
“But we will not be soliciting, we will wish you a merry Christmas,” says Marianne Cochrum, one of the four local members. “We will thank you if you make a donation. I hope we will be starting a good Christmas tradition.”
The Salvation Army has a regional extension office in San Antonio. The Port Lavaca branch is part of the San Antonio extension office. In Port Lavaca, there is no office, but the four members have a cell phone which is passed around as each member goes on duty.
Anyone in need of the Salvation Army in Port Lavaca dials 281-5445.
“We are a group of volunteers dispersing Salvation Army services,” Cochrum said.
She explains that her group is not the only group historically to represent the Salvation Army locally. “There were two ladies working out of the Port Lavaca Police Department that dispersed Salvation Army services,” she said. “They had to give it up. We didn’t want to lose the Salvation Army locally. In March 2008, a new group took over so it would not be lost. There is a great need for it in the community.”
According to Cochrum, the Salvation Army tends to supplement what other groups provide. She said the Salvation Army will provide medical items to qualifying persons such as surgical boots. Insurance does not cover the surgical boots worn after surgery.
The Salvation Army will also pay for deposits for new rentals for qualifying persons, and it will pay for gasoline vouchers for doctors’ appointments, to mention a couple of the services. The key word is “qualifying” people.
Salvation Army is funded by donations and the United Way.
Over the Christmas season is when the public really notices the Salvation Army and, in particular, the kettles where deposits are dropped.
“The kettle is being returned to Port Lavaca for Christmas,” Cochrum said. “The important thing about the kettle is every cent put in that kettle stays here.”
The Salvation Army will be at the front entrance of Wal-mart every Friday and Saturday from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
The members will be wearing red, have a sign, standing behind their kettle and ringing their bells.
On Dec. 22 and 23, the Honor Society from Calhoun High School will be standing in front of the kettle. The members surprised Cochrum by volunteering to help.
“I cannot tell you how happy I was to get that telephone call,” Cochrum said. “That was not just volunteering, it was enthusiastic volunteering.”
Also, the Port Lavaca Police Department has volunteered 100 percent to transport funds to those calling Salvation Army in the middle of the night.
Cochrum says the police department has the true spirit of the Salvation Army. She recalls a time a police officer arrested a drunken driver and then found a place for the man’s wife and child that were inside the vehicle.
Cochrum said the Salvation Army is much in need of donations now. Until Jan. 1, they have only $357 left in cash.
The Salvation Army volunteers also volunteer to help the Calhoun County Ministry, the Food Bank and other groups.
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