SEPTEMBER 3, 2009 ISSUE
Salvation Army Family Store Celebrates Re-Grand Opening
The Salvation Army Family Store and Social Services Center hosted a re-grand opening on Saturday, August 29. Daisy the Clown (Angie Blevins) waves to cars driving by the new store location of 7979 Highway 105 South in Boone. Blevins has been a member of the Salvation Army for about 40 years and regularly visits area nursing homes dressed as a clown. Photo by Corinne Saunders
The Salvation Army Family Store has been operating out of its new 10,000 square-foot building for about a month, but they officially celebrated the relocation to 7979 Highway 105 South in Boone on Saturday, August 29.
The re-grand opening from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. featured free hot dogs and drinks, as well as a free gift with any store purchase. Children received coloring sets and adults were each given a George Strait CD.
The Salvation Army has operated in the High Country for about six years, but the management thinks that this location is the most promising.
“On Postal Road, we were unable to get customers,” said Major Kent Davis, corps officer of the Greater Hickory/High Country Command. “This new location is a blessing for our store.”
Production Supervisor Glenda Canipe agreed. “It’s easier to find,” she said. “The biggest complaint we had was people couldn’t find us behind the post office. Now we’re on the main road; you can’t miss us.”
The High Country store services both Avery and Watauga counties, and although “there’s really not a good, central location,” the current spot is more convenient for Avery clientele, Davis said.
According to its brochure, ¨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 is set up with army-like ranks and areas of service divided into “commands.” Davis’ ranking of major denotes more than 20 years of service.
In addition to the family store, a social services office in the same building offers a multitude of services to those in the community who are struggling financially. Upon application and determination of need, the Salvation Army will assist with rent, fuel oil, kerosene, food, clothing, electrical, water, natural gas, medical expenses, transportation, Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as provide nursing home ministries.
The building also features a community room, which will be used for Salvation Army board meetings but will also be open for community use, Davis said.
Typically the Salvation Army operates a three-pronged ministry, with a church, family store and social services center. Davis, who pastors a church in Hickory, said that this particular center has only the family store and social services center, which opened last year.
Until a social services director is in place, appointments are required to utilize the social services center. In the next two or three weeks, a director will be onsite and people can drop by, Davis said.
The Salvation Army is a nonprofit that depends on donations—both monetary donations and donations of items to be sold at the family thrift store—from those in the community.
“If you shop here, you support the Salvation Army,” Canipe said. “All donations support the mission of the Salvation Army.”
For more information, call the Salvation Army at 828-963-4184.
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