LNR club members last week were treated to a special musical presentation by four members of the local Salvation Army band, thanks to the efforts of Rotarian Angie Cox, who made the last-minute arrangements. The Salvation Army was started in 1865 by William Booth to address the needs of the poor and social outcasts in the streets of East London, according to the leader of the brass quartet, who spoke about the organization's rich history between songs. The Salvation Army was very involved in social reform back then, he said, and the organization expanded to the U.S. in 1880.
The first Salvation Army open air meeting took place in Dallas in 1889, and two years later, the charity launched its now famous red kettle campaign. Today, the Salvation Army works in 132 countries worldwide, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs without discrimination.
Here in North Texas, the Salvation Army runs 13 food pantries, six shelters, and three recovery programs, and also provides Christmas for more than 40,000 children through the annual Angel tree campaigns. We are grateful for the special appearance by the brass quartet, who entertained the packed house with familiar holiday carols and brought good cheer to all at Lewisville Noon's last meeting of the year.