Featured Volunteer

Every year, the most involved and dedicated volunteers from around the Division (Indiana) get nominated by the Salvation Corps or Center he/she volunteers for. These volunteer nominations then make their way up to our Divisional Headquarters and undergo a Committee Vote to determine the winner in each of the four categories: Individual, Family, Corporate, and Youth Volunteer of the Year. Here are this year’s winners:

Individual Volunteer of the Year - Fort Wayne

This volunteer, Ben Cox, has assisted in almost every area of our corps and community center.

He began volunteering in Social Services, interviewing clients and distributing food on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but quickly expanded to the back to school and Christmas season.

He is present all day, every day during our bi-annual intakes, including our two week intake for Christmas assistance, lending compassion and expertise to both clients and volunteers. He has a simple theory, “That every person leaves here feeling a little bit better than when they came in.” He adds that in the past ten years, he feels that every person who has sat at his table has done just that.

A strong Christian, he leads the volunteers in prayer before every task we set before them. Whether it’s sorting clothing, distributing supplies, handing out groceries, or simply playing with the children from our youth center during a fundraiser, he is certain to put the work of Christ before and after every task. He constantly reminds the other volunteers and staff that, regardless of how difficult or frustrating that the task may seem, never to forget that it is all for the glory of God.

He has earned the respect of staff, volunteers and clients. A member of the advisory board as well as the development committee, he is present for monthly meetings to stay current with the mission’s activities, as well as lend his ideas and opinions for changes or improvements in the order.

He has recruited volunteers, including youth groups, senior groups, stay at home and homeschooled families and affiliated churches to assist in our larger projects, without which we would desperately have to struggle through.

Clients that he assists are so touched by his compassion, that they often stop a staff member to remark about how sincere the kind gentleman was, taking the time to talk to them, to pray with them and to remind them that through God they are not alone. One such client was so moved by him that she wrote a paper about him for her class entitled “Christmas Angel” and then tearfully presented him with a Christmas Spirit award for his generous deeds for families in the community.

He is a donor as well as a volunteer, who in the past year has not only adopted a Christmas family, but also sponsored a table in our charity fashion show, donated various items for our charity auction, groceries for the food pantry, stuffed stocking for teenagers in the community, and brought in bags of new clothing for angel tree from his church.

Perhaps one of the most admirable qualities about him is that, throughout his tireless hours and deeds, he remains a humble servant, always sending words of encouragement to staff and fellow volunteers to thank them for their hard work. A true follower of his savior, he looks not for praise or to criticize others, but only to volunteer his time and love to the cause of The Salvation Army.

Family Volunteer of the Year – Fort Wayne

This family, the Stoker Family,, consists of a grandmother, her daughter and granddaughter and have been volunteering with The Salvation Army since Christmas of 2008. Every the past two years, this family has worked in our food pantry every Tuesday and Thursday without fail. At times, family members will come in for additional Social Service projects separately, but most of the projects are performed as a family. Through their hard work, our food pantry served over 1605 cases, including over 4600 individuals which would not have been possible without the family’s commitment and dependability to our cause.

The family participates in The Salvation Army Tools for School program, through the year fundraisers, and donated stockings for teens at Christmas time.

By far, their favorite activity our Stuff a Stocking program at Christmas time. The grandfather of the family passed away at Christmas time; the year following, the son/father passes as well. “Christmas is never an easy time since we lost my husband and my son, and she (granddaughter) lost her father and grandfather. We find that the best way to keep his spirit is to give back together as a family,” says the matriarch of the family.

The granddaughter is in her senior year of high school, a member of the National Honor Society and performs various community projects within her school including “Blessings in Backpacks” provided by the community school district. The family volunteer weekly, stuffing backpacks full of food for children to take home through the local schools. “A lot of the children who have a tough family life go home without dinner, so it’s important to send food home with them so that they can have something for each meal throughout the weekend.”

The grandmother won the Social Service award in 2008, and will be winning the award from our corps for Most Hours Volunteered in 2009. The family as a whole gave over 500 volunteer hours for 2009. They now have the granddaughter’s boyfriend volunteering with them in the food pantry as well. “If he’s going to be a member of the family he’ll have to get used to it,” the granddaughter laughs.

This is a very special family who laughs together, cries together and gives together. They truly show the mission of The Salvation Army, spreading the love of Christ through caring and meeting the needs of all people, all year long.

If you have a volunteer whom you would like to see receive recognition, please email Jama_Young@usc.salvationarmy.org