Salvation Army plans 100th anniversary in Havre

In 1914, flooding struck parts of Havre.

People were in need of food, shelter and help to get back on their feet.

The Salvation Army arrived in town to provide emergency services to flood victims, and it has been in town ever since.

Salvation Army wasn’t formally organized in Havre until 1915, but the agency is going to celebrate its centennial of service to the Hi-Line this week.

Celebrations will start this afternoon with a reception of captains Ralph and Peggy Guthrie, who were the last officers to head up Salvation Army operations in Havre. Trina Crawford, became the executive director in 2005 when the Guthries left.

Visitors are welcome to come to the Salvation Army 2 to 4 p.m. today, she said.

A lot of people remember the Guthries, she said, because they were active in a variety of community activities.

“This will be a good time to stop by and say hello,” she said.

The Guthries are now stationed in Lewiston, Idaho, she said.

Their visit is part of the theme of the week’s activities at the Salvation Army — soup, soap and salvation, she said.

Founded in England in 1865 by William Booth, the Salvation Army arrived in the United States in 1900, she said, and 14 years later it was in Havre.

The goal has always been to help impoverished people by providing soup to give them nourishment, soap to clean them up, and the offer of salvation — the word of God — to people interested in that.

The week’s activities will continue at 6 p.m. Tuesday, when the annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner will be held at Holiday Village Mall’s Community Room.

Volunteers from the Salvation Army, Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen and Havre Food Bank will be honored, she said.

“We couldn't do what we do without the volunteers,” she said. “We always say that, but it’s true.”

The year has been a success for all three organizations, she said.

The soup kitchen provided a record 20,000 meals to people in need, she said.

Salvation Army Major Doug Tollerud of Seattle, northwest regional commander, will be the guest speaker, she said.

She said the community is invited to take part in the dinner and tribute to the volunteers by calling the Salvation Army at 265-6411.

This will be part of National Volunteer Week observances in Havre, Crawford said.