One man hopes to bring Salvation Army charity to Gilmer County, and he’s looking for your help.
Retired Salvation Army Major Ken Chapman has spent the last 16 years working for the Salvation Army as an ordained minister. When he moved to Gilmer to retire, he saw a window to help others through the organization here.
“We’re very excited about this town,” he said. “We see a need here in north Georgia.”
With the approval of the group’s divisional headquarters, he is starting the North Georgia Mission Station a new local chapter of the Salvation Army.
“Everyone we’ve talked to [in Gilmer] has welcomed us with open arms and wanted to help,” Chapman said.
The people of Gilmer County are very charitable, he said. Already, Chapman has worked with local charities including New Beginnings, and the Gilmer County Warming Center. He plans to join the Gilmer Optimist Club soon.
Bringing the Salvation Army to Gilmer can help patch holes that local charities haven’t yet covered, he said.
“We’re not opening a thrift store here,” he said. “We’re going to meet the gaps where other nonprofits might not be able to.”
Already, he has several ideas.
Some of these include opening a shower trailer for the homeless, adoption program for the elderly, collecting Christmas donations for future programs and more.
For the homeless, it can be hard to find a place to clean off, Chapman said. Getting a shower can make it easier to interview for a job or otherwise find a way out of extreme poverty.
A trailer with toilets, showers and a laundry facility will help homeless people freshen up.
“If they have this shower trailer available, they have a little more dignity,” Chapman said.
Visiting the shower trailer will also give Chapman and other volunteers a chance to talk with homeless people and connect them with needed resources.
“While they’re there, we will be working with them,” he said. “We’ll be asking how they got in this position and what we can do to help them get to the next step.”
This station will open within a couple weeks, Chapman said.
He plans to partner with Georgia Family Connection for their Christmas drive, while adding the adoption of senior citizens to the group’s initiative.
Currently, Chapman plans to fund this initiative himself. He’s also applied to receive money from the Salvation Army’s territorial leadership.
During the Christmas season, the Salvation Army has a long history of collecting money for charitable projects.
To many, seeing a Salvation Army volunteer outside a local grocery store ringing a donation bell is a sign of the Christmas season.
This year, Chapman is looking for volunteers to raise funds for charity in this way starting Friday, Nov. 28, outside Walmart off GA 515.
The fundraising ends Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24.
“Several people came up to me and said, ‘It’s been my lifelong dream to ring bells,” he said. “We can make that happen for you.”
Those interested in helping or donating can call Major Ken Chapman at 407-236-3286 or email him at ken.chapman@uss.salvationarmy.org.