Salvation Army welcomes new officers to help with outreach, updates

Hope, outreach and much needed updates sum up the new Salvation Army captains’ campaign.

Capt’s. Bryan and Tracy Brinlee recently came to Lawton from Hot Springs, Ark., according to a press release. Salvation Army officers are periodically transferred to different locations, typically every three to five years. The Brinlees assumed their position June 23. Bryan Brinlee said they’ve been officers in The Salvation Army for 10 years.

The Brinlees have many different projects planned for The Salvation Army, including remodeling the homeless shelter and redoing the Boys and Girls Club.

“We look forward to meeting the people of Lawton and the surrounding counties and discovering the many opportunities for ministry here,” Bryan said in the release. “One of our first priorities is to make needed improvements to the shelter. In the meantime, the shelter is temporarily going to be in our church building, where our cooling station and feeding program is also currently housed. Our goal is to show love and respect to all who come through our doors.”

The Salvation Army church building is located at 1306 SW E.

Bryan also said they want to focus on community collaboration amidst other nonprofits.

“Change ministry is extremely important to us,” Bryan said. “Next, we want to build upon the existing programs such as the Boys and Girls Club, social services, building bridges, church programs, Thrift Store and more.”

Bryan said the Salvation Army’s greatest need is donations. They plan to make a plea to the community for donations.

“The Salvation Army made contact with 7,000 people last year that we helped directly, whether it be children, teens, young people or people in our shelter,” Bryan said. “In the next five years, we’ll end up making contact with 40,000 people through our services that we provide here.”

Bryan said the most important donation they need is financial support.

“The only way the Salvation Army operates in this area is off of community donations,” Bryan said.

“If you had a child or grandchild with mental health or drug addictions that ended up on the street, you would hope that they ran across The Salvation Army,” Brinlee said. “The decisions that we make today to either give or not give impact our ability to meet those needs. We’re going to help people every time they ask for help. All we’re asking is that the community help us in doing that.”

For more information or to make a donation, go to www.salvationarmylawton.org, or call (580) 355-1802.