St. Marys, GA — On August 15, The Salvation Army celebrated the dedication of a new emergency vehicle, generously donated by FedEx, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This vehicle marks a significant milestone as the 25th emergency disaster vehicle donated by FedEx to The Salvation Army, a testament to the long-standing partnership between the two organizations in their shared mission to provide disaster relief.
The ceremony was attended by a host of distinguished guests, including representatives from FedEx, The Salvation Army’s National, Territorial, and Divisional Headquarters, local government officials, and members of the St. Marys community.
Shane O’Connor, Communications Advisor for FedEx, represented the global logistics giant at the event. He expressed FedEx’s deep appreciation for The Salvation Army’s tireless efforts, saying, “On behalf of 500,000 FedEx team members across the world, I want to say a heartfelt thanks to The Salvation Army. You are saving lives and making a difference, holding people up at the worst possible time in their lives. It’s just amazing all that you do.”
Alise Pate, Service Center Director for St. Marys, expressed her excitement and gratitude for the new vehicle, highlighting its importance to the community and beyond. “It’s a very special day here for us. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I can’t be more excited. We are so thankful to FedEx for blessing us with this vehicle, allowing us to serve our community—not just here in Camden County, but anywhere we are called upon. We will go and serve, because that’s what The Salvation Army does—we go help people in need, especially when they’re at their most vulnerable.”
Major Barry Corbitt, General Secretary for The Salvation Army’s Georgia Division, spoke to the vehicle’s strategic importance in disaster response. “There is tremendous joy to be found in being able to go to people who are hurting, and that’s where this new vehicle comes in. This rapid response vehicle is perfectly designed for disaster response—it’s a winning design specifically made to give us that quick-strike capability. It gets us into places where larger units couldn’t normally squeeze in. So, I say a heartfelt thank you to our friends at FedEx.”
The event was also attended by key representatives from The Salvation Army’s National Headquarters, including Marinda Pop, Emergency Disaster Services Program Specialist, and from the Territorial Headquarters, including Jeff Jellets, Emergency Disaster Services Coordinator, and Tyra Gore, Assistant Emergency Disaster Services Coordinator.
Georgia Division and local leaders, including Major Corbitt, General Secretay for the Georgia Division, Lanita Lloyd, Emergency Disaster Services Director for the Georgia Division, Jim Morrow, Georgia Division Service Extension Director, John Zanders, Director of Development for the Georgia Division, Joseph Barnum from the Georgia Emergency Management Association, Camden County Emergency Management Director Chuck White, and members of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce and Camden County Commissioners, also participated in the ceremony, underscoring the strong local support for The Salvation Army’s mission. Reverend Roy White from St. Marys Methodist Church provided a prayer of dedication at the close of the ceremony.
This new emergency disaster vehicle will enhance The Salvation Army’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to disasters, both locally and wherever the need arises, ensuring that communities receive critical support when they need it most.
