I thought I was leaving Williams Lake and the people I loved behind when we were called to become Salvation Army officers,” says Captain Claudine Kadonaga, corps officer, Williams Lake, British Columbia Division. “And when the possibility was raised that we might return, I said to myself, 'Don't hold your breath.' Yet here we are, and good things are happening.”

Economic Crisis
Williams Lake is a small mill town in the central interior of British Columbia. The population is 14,000 though the corps serves 40,000 in the surrounding area, including 15 First Nations bands.

The arrival of the Kadonagas two years ago coincided almost exactly with the global downturn in the economy, the effects of which were immediately and devastatingly felt on the small community. “Three out of six mills closed and there was a downturn in the mining sector. As a result, the unemployment rate skyrocketed, increasing demand on our services,” explains Captain Randy Kadonaga, corps officer. “Food bank usage has quadrupled, while the increase in children that we serve at the food bank over the last 16 months is a staggering 540 percent.”

Williams Lake's economic woes were compounded by geography. “We're the only Salvation Army corps in this area,” says Captain Claudine. Bella Coola, Quesnel, 100 Mile House and Kamloops, B.C., are hours away by car. “We're a small corps but we have to meet the needs of a large area,” she continues. “How can we turn anyone away?”

Consolidation and Efficiency
Fortunately, the Williams Lake corps was well positioned to meet the sudden demand for family services. Previously, corps services had been spread out in different areas of the town. The Kadonagas took advantage of the expiration of a lease to amalgamate services. The main corps offices moved across the street, the food bank and meal programs moved upstairs from the basement, and the kitchen was upgraded to handle the increased demand. “It's now accessible to anyone in need, including clients who are wheelchair-bound, mothers with strollers and seniors using walkers or canes,” says Captain Claudine. “Volunteers are relieved that food no longer needs to be carried up and down the stairs, with the risk of a fall that might result.”

All for One
Sixty-eight volunteers help in the soup kitchen, drop-in centre and food bank, and another 28 help with the thrift store, while 296 kettle workers volunteer during the Christmas season. “Those are amazing statistics for such a small town,” asserts Captain Claudine. “The community is behind us. Every time we issue a call for help, people come in droves, and the local media back this up.”

A large number of the volunteers come from other churches in the area. This spirit of ecumenism is no accident. “The previous Salvation Army officers fostered close ties between all of the Christian churches in Williams Lake, so we obviously benefited from that,” says Captain Randy. “The other churches know that we're all the body of Christ so they willingly pitch in and help us at the food bank and the thrift store.”

Filling Seats
Future plans include a Christian coffee house so that people have a place to gather besides the local coffee shop, whose small setting inhibits larger gatherings. Not only will it provide friendship evangelism and an ecumenical spot to worship, but it will also generate funding for the corps' social services.

While the focus of the past two years was on restructuring, the next two years will centre on reaching out to the unchurched community of Williams Lake. “Now that we've built the buildings, we can start building relationships and witnessing to our faith, and bring in worshippers who are not part of the food bank or the soup kitchen,” says Captain Claudine.

“Our new sanctuary has a 120-seat capacity and we intend to fill every one of those seats,” promises Captain Randy. “Right now, the sky's the limit.”