Salvation Army Western Territorial Commander Visits Waldo Canyon Relief Teams

Colorado Springs, CO (July 2, 2012) - The Salvation Army’s Territorial Commander for the Western United States made a special visit to many of the relief and burn locations within Colorado Springs today. Commissioner James Knaggs, accompanied by Intermountain Divisional Commander, Lt. Col. Daniel Starrett, visited two canteen operations providing meals, drinks and emotional care and support to Waldo Canyon fire survivors and first responders. 
“I want you to know how grateful we are for what you are doing today,” said Commissioner Knaggs commented to some of the disaster relief volunteers. 

The two mobile feeding units that Commissioner Knaggs visited are staffed by local volunteers, in addition to added emergency response teams from New Mexico and Montana. During his visit, Knaggs prayed with each volunteer group and shared words of encouragement with those who have been serving tirelessly since the fire outbreak in late June.  Afterward, Knaggs and a small team of Salvation Army officials surveyed one of the neighborhoods affected by the devastating fire.

The Waldo Canyon Fire continues to burn West of Colorado Springs and is 70 percent contained (as of Monday afternoon).  The Salvation Army continues to serve the survivors of this devastating fire outbreak through multiple mobile feeding operations within the city, which provided over 9,000 meals and 27,000 bottles of water to first responders and survivors this past weekend alone.  In addition, The Salvation Army is working with local partner agencies to assist serving meals, and emotional care to survivors living in temporary shelters. 

To view photos of Commissioner Knagg’s visit to the Waldo Canyon Fire relief areas, please visit the Intermountain Division’s Flickr stream

Donations:

The best way to help fire survivors and rescue workers is to make a financial contribution. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific and evolving needs of disaster survivors. Those who wish to support The Salvation Army’s disaster response may do so by sending a check earmarked “Disaster Relief” or “Wild Fires” to their local Salvation Army office, by donating online at www.imsalvationarmy.org, or by making a credit card donation at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

Gifts in-kind for relief of this disaster are being collected by Care and Share. Please call (719) 528 – 1247 for more information.  Although The Salvation Army is not requesting in-kind goods donations at this time, gifts of gently-used household goods, clothing, etc., are always needed by Salvation Army Family Stores to support their work in the local community. Find out more at www.satruck.com.
If members of the community would like to volunteer to help with Waldo Canyon Fire relief efforts, they must register online at www.tsacs.org/registertoring.

The Salvation Army is grateful to the public for their continued support.

About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. For more information, go to www.imsalvationarmy.org.

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