FDL Salvation Army Report To The Community

Pictured: The Salvation Army of Fond du Lac County staff ( Front, from left: Connie Millard, Captain Telinda Wilson, Heather Hansen. Back, from left:  Danita Legler, Captain Steven Wilson, Ron Jacobson) are  ‘all smiles’ at annual Report to Community lunch.

Report To The Community:

Butterflies, colored by students from Waters, Parkside, Riverside and Evans Schools amplified the overriding message of The Salvation Army’s annual Report to Community: “A butterfly struggles for three days in order to break free from its cocoon.  Finally it emerges with beautiful wings strengthened by the hardship it endured. People struggle in life, too.  It’s by overcoming challenges that we find courage to soar.  Unlike the butterfly, people in Fond du Lac do not struggle alone.  Those who come to The Salvation Army of Fond du Lac County draw strength from those who believe in them.  That belief transforms them; giving them strength to soar.”

Salvation Army Divisional Commander Major Steve Merritt presented The Pathway of Hope Outstanding Achievement Award to the FdL Corps., national recognition for the local program that moves families to self-sufficiency with grace and dignity and the community that helps transform lives.

Captains Steven and Telinda Wilson extend recognition and congratulations to The Salvation Army’s 2016 Outstanding Leaders of Compassion:  The Hotel Retlaw (Community Partner), Care INC (Caring Tradition), Festival Foods (Community Spirit), Julie Lavey (Pathway of Hope Partner), Connie Michels (Warming Shelter Partner), Radio Plus, Pick N Save Pioneer, Kitz and Pfeil True Value Hardware (Christmas Partners),and FdL Firefighters Local 400, Doug Kiehnau and Dave Candlish,  Steve Ziegler (Volunteers). Alison and Matt Shafer accepted the Gift of Giving Award sponsored by Horicon Bank and JF Ahern.  The couple asked their wedding guests for gifts to help The Salvation Army and Solutions Center at Christmas, instead of things for themselves.

Captains celebrated 2016 community help received  and the impact: helping hands volunteered 9,024 hours;   24,212 people received 393 tons of food; 920 children received funds for school shoes; 12,467 free Summer Brown Bag Lunches kept children fed; 1181 children and adults received free Christmas gifts; 1020 families had Thanksgiving dinners and 400 families received Christmas dinners; 281 households spared eviction, utility disconnection and 1782 people were warmed with coats, hats and gloves; 87 homeless were sheltered for 151 nights, fed 1934 meals, and 168 loads of laundry kept them clean.

The Salvation Army is located at 237 N. Macy Street., with a thrift store at 79 W. Pioneer Road.  For more information, call the Corps. Office at 920-923-8220, visit safdl.org or find them on Facebook.