Gifts and Food Distributed at The Salvation Army

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Christmas is practically here and as the
community prepares for the holiday season, an area agency spent the
day passing out Christmas gifts and food items to those in need. The
Salvation Army Distribution Day took place today on Putnam Avenue in
Zanesville. Hundreds of families left the premises with bags of toys
for their children as well as turkeys for Christmas dinner, Envoy
George Bates says the day would not have been possible without
Salvation Army volunteers.

“Behind every
organization there’s good volunteers. Our Women’s Auxiliary—it
consists as about 130 retired—mostly retired professional
women—they’ve run this. And everywhere I’ve gone today, I’m
running around looking for problems—I might as well have stayed
home. This is like a well-oiled machine.”

A small army of
volunteers have helped keep operations running smoothly at the
Salvation Army this year and Beth Archer, with the Women’s
Auxiliary, says the opportunity to serve the community is the best
gift to be received.

“I never planned
to get involved with the Salvation Army; but once I came down it was
so much fun—kept me busy all year and I like the people here. And
then, if you just think of what you’re doing for the community and
it was great—I love it.”

Volunteers with the
Women’s Auxiliary, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and from area
high schools were able to lend a helping hand during Distribution Day
today.