Halifax resident and retired banker Ron Goyer wasn't new to volunteering. He had spent years donating his time to service clubs and being a mentor through Big Brother. But when his father—who lived in the Salvation Army seniors' home in Saskatoon—passed away, Goyer decided to volunteer at the Centre of Hope in Halifax as a means of saying “thanks” to the Army for the quality care his father received.
For the past three years, Goyer has spent his Thursdays sorting goods and packing food in preparation for an average of 40 clients who visit the centre's food bank on Mondays and Fridays.
“It's rewarding to volunteer because you meet a lot of people and it makes you appreciate the things you have in life,” says Goyer. “People of all ages come to the centre for different programs and I'm glad to contribute in some way to help them.
“My hope is that they can, one day, get themselves back on their feet and will no longer require our services. Some have done that and return to volunteer because they appreciate what the centre has done for them.”
Recently, The Salvation Army in Corner Brook, N.L., received a large donation of moose meat, allowing them to serve more than 1,000 meals to clients at their soup kitchen. The donation was made possible by local hunters who have brought moose meat to The Salvation Army for the past 17 years. “They like what The Salvation Army does in the community,” says Major Brian Wheeler, pastor at the Army’s Corner Brook Community Church.
Adopted as an infant by Salvation Army officers, Jordan Brown-Ratcliffe grew up in a loving and faith-filled home where he was encouraged to explore the Indigenous roots of his birth family. From music and travel to art and nature, Jordan embraced life while seeking to understand his own identity and place in the world. In 2019, Jordan passed
Ron Goyer with his supervisor, Alex MacDonald
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