ALLEN CAMERON

Moose Jaw Express Photo: Randy Palmer, Life of Service Army Navy Air Force Veterans president Don Purington (left) and Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Greg Lawrence (right) unveil the specially mounted display showing the certificate, pin and letter Allen Cameron received from the Canadian government honouring the 75th anniversary of the Second World War and his service as an airman

by Randy Palmer

All you need to do to get a feel for how much Allen “Al” Cameron means to the Army Navy Air Force Veterans (ANAVETS) and the community of Moose Jaw, Sask., in general is take a look at some of the people who showed up for his 97th birthday party this past May. “Different Lives” Moose Jaw Mayor Clive Tolley and MLAs Tim McLeod and Greg Lawrence were just a few of the dignitaries who stopped by to honour the Second World War veteran during the come-and-go gathering at the ANAVETS club.

DON PURINGTON

The festivities were a natural fit, not only because of Al’s legacy as an airman during the Second World War but as an honour for an ANAVETS veteran when so many of those who fought in the war are passing on, says president Don Purington.

“They fought, and they gave their lives,” he says. “Us being a veterans’ club, when I started five years ago there were 23, and now they’re fading off and fading off. That’s why this is so special. We should have done it a couple of years ago, but then trouble hit with COVID, so now it’s time to start recognizing these gentlemen more than we do. If it wasn’t for Al and the veterans, we’d be living different lives.”

Stunned and Grateful Al was joined by his children, Brett Cameron from Halifax and Cindy Gummeson from Nanaimo, B.C. Both made the trip to be part of the festivities, which came as a complete surprise to Al himself when they arrived earlier in the week.

“They came all that way, and I had no idea,” Al says as folks milled about, stopping to offer congratulations and have a chat. “It’s absolutely nice to be able to see them again.”

Al himself thought he was just stopping in for a visit at the club, but was regaled with “Happy Birthday” the moment he, Cindy and Brett walked through the door, with “97” balloons joined by signs and streamers honouring his birthday.

“I was stunned,” Al says with a smile when asked about his reaction. “I’m deeply grateful. But this is fantastic.”

“It’s Not Just Me” It was hard for Al not to become emotional when a special gift was unveiled during the party— it was only a few months ago that Al received a special certificate, commemorative pin and letter acknowledging his Second World War service from the Canadian government, and he made the decision to have the awards displayed in the ANAVETS clubhouse.

The club unveiled the special matte-style mounting plaque that will hang in the building for everyone to see.

Let Them Eat Cake! Al is joined by friends and family before cutting his birthday cake. Al’s children Cindy Gummeson and Brett Cameron, standing to his left and right, travelled from British Columbia and Nova Scotia, respectively, to be part of the celebration

Moose Jaw Express Photo: Randy Palmer,

“A Wonderful Man” On top of his service, Don felt honouring Al was fitting just because of the kind of person he is.

“You could go to any room and if you feel out of place, if Al’s there, he’ll make you feel like you’re in place,” he says. “He has that kind of aura around him; he’s a special, special man. And there’s not enough we can do for him or any of the veterans. Just doing this is a good start, a good recognition.”

Salvation Army pastor Lieutenant Lester Ward also delivered greetings for Al, a longtime parishioner at the local church. Lieutenant Lester made special mention of Al’s singing and engagement in the services as well as his position as a valuable part of the Salvation Army community.

Longtime friend Arlene Ayles was happy to see the ANAVETS putting such effort into honouring Al, especially in his later years.

“I know Al is so honoured when the Army Navy Air Force Veterans do things like this for him,” she says. “It’s really touching to see that, because it makes him feel so special. And I know for us it feels like we can’t do enough, not just for Al but all the veterans, but it’s nice to be able to do something like this for such a wonderful man.”

To learn more about Al’s war service, visit salvationist.ca/ honouring-a-veteran.

Reprinted from Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday. com, May 22, 2022

Knitting for a Good Cause Clara Preete has been knitting items for the Melfort community in Saskatchewan for 24 years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital couldn’t accept her toques in 2021, but The Salvation Army did

by Melissa Yue Wallace

As a regular attendee at The Salvation Army since she was 16, Clara Preete’s faith in God taught her to look beyond herself and think of others. For 24 years, she has knitted mittens for the Army’s Christ- mas hampers. She’s also made toques for newborns at the Melfort Hospital in Saskatchewan for 12 years.

Asked what she hopes for the people who receive the mittens, Clara responds from her home in Melfort.

“I hope their hands will be warm!” she laughs and then goes on to say, “I also hope people who come to The Salvation Army will realize what God can do for them.”

During each Christmas season, Clara’s knitted items are included in Salvation Army hampers on request and also placed at a display table for anyone to take on the day they pick up their hamper.

Gifting With Love Clara first learned to knit at school in Grade 5.

As part of a class project, Clara and

her classmates knitted 25-centimetre (10-inch) squares that were assembled into blankets for the Red Cross, and then sent to serving soldiers.

It was her first venture into knitting for a good cause, but it certainly would not be her last.

“One of my neighbours came over and taught me how to knit socks,” says Clara. “Then she taught me how to read patterns and make mittens, and then I got my own patterns.”

With a large family on both sides, Clara found joy in making and gifting items for those whom she loved—“baby outfits, mitts, socks and scarves.”

“People Love Them” “You won’t find a pair of mittens knit with more love than the ones Clara provides,” says Salvation Army pastor Major Rick Robins who, together with his wife, Major Jennifer Robins, led The Salvation Army Melfort— Circuit with Nipawin and Tisdale until recently.

“We’d see people wearing them when they’d come into the thrift store and around town. People love them.

“For many, it reminded them of the ones their grandmother or greatgrandmother made for them and brought up fond memories. They’ve all been very grateful that someone has thought to make something for them.”

Clara has since had to slow down the number of knitted projects she can make due to health issues, but her faith in God continues to give her strength each day.

“God has been with me through many situations in my life and I rely on Him to pull me through,” she says. “Without Him, I don’t know where I’d be.”

Boxed With Love “Clara is such a special lady and we are so thankful for her knitting ministry,” says Major Jennifer Robins

(left) Melissa Yue Wallace is a journalism graduate and freelance writer who is passionate about helping people in need and encouraging the organizations that work tirelessly to care for them. Melissa lives in Richmond Hill, Ont., with her husband and twin children.

Photo: Marina Andrejchenko/stock.Adobe.com

by Rachel Quirt

Iwas sitting at the dining room table in front of my computer, pretending to work. Boxes and furniture were all over the place, as the house was in the middle of being repainted and redecorated.

The disarray mirrored the state of my heart and soul. While I seemed to be working, I was Googling ways of committing suicide so that my family wouldn’t find me. No one knew how desperate I was feeling— and I didn’t even know how to express it.

I was determined to end my life. I just couldn’t take the pain anymore.

The Reason Why I grew up on a farm in a rural community, the youngest of four sisters, three foster sisters and one brother.

It was a Christian home and my parents tried to make sure we knew about Jesus. But the relationship with Him was often missing, instead becoming something more legalistic and rules-oriented. The message I accidentally received was that I was bad at my core.

While we lived below the poverty line, my parents did their best to provide for us children. We had clothes to wear and food to eat, and we knew that our parents were always there for us.

However, because it was a large family, there were moments in time when we were left with people my parents trusted, but didn’t know they couldn’t. As an adult, I have learned that the word precious means “not to be treated carelessly.” Unfortunately, as a child there were those who chose to treat me carelessly, and I experienced sexual abuse at the age of three, at five and again at 11 with other incidences in between and following.

I suppressed those memories for a long time.

The abuse, combined with poverty, childhood bullying and feeling isolated and alone, caused me to leave home at 16. My leaving had nothing to do with my mother and father. Looking back, I realize I was emotionally wounded but didn’t grasp its impact. Promise Kept Moving away to nearby Kingston, Ont., I tried completing my high school education, but dropped out and started working. I returned to school when I was 20 and, by the age of 23, I was getting married.

By this time, I had stopped attending church, and I had no interest in God. My father, knowing this, agreed to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day—but only if, in return, I would promise to go to church for a year after I was married. (That was the legalistic, rules-oriented part of my upbringing.) As any daughter might, all I wanted was to have my father walk me down the aisle. So, I agreed.

I kept my promise. Right after the honeymoon, I started going to church.

Thankfully, God has a way of working things out for the best. Despite my father’s misguided pressure, I encountered God’s love.

“I Need Christ” When my daughter was three months old, I was feeling overwhelmed.

I’d started to attend a women’s Bible study on Thursday mornings. One day, I found myself alone with my pastor’s wife and their daughter, whom I had known since I was a youth.

As we were praying and I held my

Photo: Marina Andrejchenko/stock.Adobe.com

own daughter, something stirred me to ask them if I could pray for myself. They both immediately responded, “Of course.”

“I don’t think I can take care of my daughter on my own,” I prayed aloud. “I need Christ.”

In that moment, we bowed our heads, and I gave my heart to Him.

Moment of Crisis A year later, as I was working on my behavioural science diploma and was driving home from school one evening, all of the abuses I had suffered as a child surfaced, like a videotape playing in my vision. I had to pull over. In a searing moment, all the pain that had taken place in my life flashed before my eyes.

While I had come to God, I hadn’t met the Holy Spirit yet. I still didn’t really know how to lean on Him to receive healing and, despite my best attempts, the next year brought me to that crisis moment in front of the computer.

“Get Me Out” As I looked for ways to end my own life, I knew that whatever I was going to do, it would be done the next day.

At that moment, my daughter, who was then two years old, came up and put both of her little hands on my leg. She looked up into my eyes and I looked down at hers.

It was then that I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit say, “Rachel, God would never want you to do that.”

It was as if the two of us were

RACHEL QUIRT

having a private conversation in the dining room.

“God,” I responded, “if You would never want me to do that, that means there must be a way out. You have got to get me out of where I am.”

Journey of Healing The next morning when I woke up, I was still in the same situation I had been in the night before, in the same circumstances, with the same feelings—but there suddenly was hope. Hope dispels darkness, and it brought new vision to my eyes.

At that moment, I started to understand the Bible, to really grasp what it was saying to me. It was as if the Bible was suddenly speaking to me and bringing healing.

And so began a journey of understanding and a relationship with the Holy Spirit. I finally realized how much Jesus loved me, how He had gotten rid of all those rules and regulations and traditions that had negatively affected me in my childhood and youth.

With the support of some family, friends and my church family, God began to heal and restore.

I’ve never been the same since. It’s been a constant, transformational journey. I would never say that it has been easy, but it has been filled with God’s love, joy and peace.

Life isn’t always easy. Are you worried about yourself or someone else? Contact The Salvation Army’s Crisis/Hope Line at 905-522-1477 or 1-855-294-4673, or visit hopesalive.ca.

(left) Rachel “Rae” Quirt is the director of discipleship and care with The Salvation Army’s Encounter Church in Lower Sackville, N.S., as well as a therapist working with Archway Counselling in Truro, N.S. Her greatest joy is to minister God’s love, bringing healing and restoration to those she encounters.