The Clarksville Salvation Army is the latest organization to be highlighted in the Giving Grace series.
Captain Jonathan and Dawn Whitaker are new to the Salvation Army in Clarksville and have hit the ground running this holiday season. The holidays are a special time for the Salvation Army, which organizes a bell ringing/Red Kettles fundraiser as well as the Angel Tree program that helps brighten Christmas for families, and especially children.
Before the holidays, the Salvation Army accepts applications from families for their Angel Tree program. There are Christmas trees at several locations in Clarksville, including Walmart on Fort Campbell Blvd., Walmart on Wilma Rudolph Blvd, and center court at Governor’s Square Mall.
Each tree has Angel cards hanging from it with information about a local child, including name, age, clothing sizes, and toys they would like to have for Christmas. Pick an Angel, shop for clothing and toys for the child, and return the items and the Angel to the location you adopted it from by December 15. The Salvation Army says there is a special need this season for children ages 10-12.
The bell ringers and the red kettles are out at various locations around Clarksville. Money donated to the kettles during the Christmas season helps the Salvation Army fund their community programs throughout the year and the Salvation Army is still looking for volunteers to ring bells this season.
Whitaker wants to remind the community that the Salvation Army holds worship services on Sunday morning in their chapel at 210 Kraft Street, which is also the location of their emergency shelter.
The Salvation Army shelter is open seven days a week all year long and can house around 60 people with four rooms dedicated to families with children. An emergency assistance office is also open throughout the week to help people with food or other needs.
Also helping to fund the many Salvation Army programs is a thrift store that sells gently used items collected through donations from the community.
“If you are looking for a place to volunteer, the Salvation Army is a wonderful place to do it,” Whitaker said. “When you dedicate your time to helping at the Salvation Army, you really are dedicating your time to change lives. Our whole goal is to change lives from start to finish.”
For more information about the Angle Tree, volunteering for bell ringing with the Red Kettles, or other Salvation Army programs go to www.salvationarmytennessee.org/clarksville, call 931-552-5350 or visit the Salvation Army at 210 Kraft Street.