Salvation Army pastor speaks to Rotary Club

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SIDNEY — Salvation Army Lt. Joe Hansen talked with Sidney Rotary members about himself and the local church he leads during a recent Rotary Club meeting.

Operations of the Salvation Army are supervised by trained, commissioned officers, Hansen said. They proclaim the gospel and serve as administrators, teachers, social workers, counselors, youth leaders and musicians. Hansen took over the leadership role here in July and is looking forward to meeting with people in the community and building relationships between the Salvation Army and all of those that they serve.

Hansen is married and has four daughters who keep him very busy. He grew up in Georgetown, Kentucky, and received his first placement there. He said that the average stay for an officer at a location is three and a half years and he hopes to make the most of his time here in Sidney.

Some of the ways that the Salvation Army provides service to the community are with programs including an emergency food pantry, Kids Corps, Bridging the Gap, Joy Club, School Tools, Christmas Clearinghouse, Target Media Center and emergency disaster services. One the latest programs that they are providing the community is an after-school program. They have partnered with the United Way, the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA and Shelby County Counseling to provide an afterschool program to 42 kids in Sidney. During the program, they will help kids with their homework and work with the schools on any issues that they may be having. They will also provide them a safe place to go with recreational activities.

The most important fundraiser for the Salvation Army will provide for a quarter of all funds for the entire year. The red kettles will start appearing around Sidney with the familiar bell-ringing sound. Hansen said that this fundraiser takes a lot of volunteers and he is grateful for all of the donations during this time of year.

Staff report

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