More than 500 people filled the parking lot of Suncoast Citadel in Goderich, Ont., in August, waiting to meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The prime minister’s visit to the corps was in support of the Huron County Backpacks for Kids program.
The prime minister meets Lts David and Laura Hickman, COs, and their children
“We will assist about 300 students,” says Lieutenant David Hickman, corps officer. “Children from low-income families often have fear about going to school and fitting in. Our program ensures they start school no different than anyone else.”
“Canadians are there for each other at times of difficulty. That’s who we are, that’s what we do,” Prime Minister Trudeau said. “It’s certainly something that’s at the core of The Salvation Army.”
The prime minister chatted with staff and volunteers, while filling backpacks with supplies such as calculators, rulers, exercise books, highlighters, pens and pencils.
Trudeau ended his visit by thanking Salvation Army staff and the many dedicated volunteers for their work.
“If we’re going to succeed as a country, everyone has to have that chance and your generosity, with your time, with your efforts, with your involvement, is truly the best of this community and of our country and I thank you very, very much,” he said.
In June, nine Champions of the Mission cadets—fondly described as trailblazers—were ordained and commissioned as Salvation Army officers. This session was the first to complete the revised training program at the College for Officer Training, which was relocated from Winnipeg to Toronto in July 2023.
To some, a haircut might seem like a simple thing, but to Ellie Ollenberger andthose she helps, it’s a gift of hope. The 22-year-old hair stylist at Bromley Hair Lounge in Maple Ridge, B.C., volunteers to cut hair at The Salvation Army’s Ridge Meadows Ministries. “Giving back to my community is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” she says.
The prime minister meets Lts David and Laura Hickman, COs, and their children
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