The community came out to wish a happy first birthday to the Hamburg Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center, 700 South 4th Street, during the store’s 1st Birthday Party on April 21.
A highlight was when everyone in attendance – shoppers, volunteers, staff, donors, firefighters and others from the community – all gathered together in front of a large inflatable Salvation Army red kettle and sang “Happy Birthday” to the Salvation Army Hamburg store.
“That says that we’re in it together. It’s all of us. It’s whether you work here or volunteer or donate or shop,” said Susan Carlson, Store Manager of the Hamburg Salvation Army Family Store.
“For those who came, it was a great time. The weather was perfect,” said Carlson. “I think what happens here at the Salvation Army Family Store is very special, and, honestly, this is a blessing here for a lot of people. For those of us who work here or shop here or donate here or volunteer here, it’s just amazing to me how everyone that I speak to has felt this sense of what a positive impact being involved here has been in their life. And then just to know that when somebody feels a sense of need for something that they know that they can come here and be greeted with God’s love in action.”
The party included performances by Salvation Army Brass Band members, door prizes, face painting, promotional drawings, bake sale, clothing store discounts, kids crafts and cake-cutting. The Emergency Disaster Services Mobile Feeding Unit served a free lunch of 160 hot dogs compliments of Berks Foods, chips compliments of Dieffenbach’s Chips and complimentary Clover Farms beverages, and water.
The Hamburg Fire Company brought a fire truck on site to offer an up-close view of fire equipment to children.
“I enjoyed it,” said Hamburg Fire Company Lt. Jeremy Sacks. “We all enjoy coming down here and helping out. It gives us a chance to get out, something other than running calls. It was nice being here. The kids enjoy it because it’s a big red fire truck… and with the sirens going.”
Donations of nonperishable food items were also collected for the Hamburg Salvation Army Service Center emergency assistance.
In the event release, Becky Netznik, Service Extension Unit, Regional Manager, said their original goals were to provide a needed service to the community and maybe making some extra funds to help their social services through the Hamburg Service Center.
“It has become so much more! It has brought The Salvation Army to the forefront of the local community and has helped educate others of the services that The Salvation Army offers in Northern Berks County.”
From giving out clothing for free at the local food pantries to providing life and work skills for students from Hamburg Area School District and from Tulpehocken Area School District, to giving thousands of pounds of donations to Hope Rescue Mission, to partnering with the Wernersville Community Corrections Center, Teen Challenge, and local churches such as Seventh Day Adventist, Netznik said, in the event release, that the Salvation Army in Hamburg has touched thousands of people.
Over the past year, The Salvation Army Service Extension Center provided assistance to 2,400 people with around $130,000 in aid. Most notably, The Salvation Army helped 505 people with heating assistance during the winter. The Service Centers provided Christmas to more than 300 children and more than 100 senior citizens.
