South Peace Historical Society

    • Home
    • About / Contact Us
    • About Dorthea Horton
    • About This Collection
    • Bibliography
    • Brief History of the Peace
    • Credits
    • South Peace Historical Society Archives (External Link)
  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

  •  

BN09-03: Salvation Army Commander Visits Dawson Creek

Recent History – 2000

Oct. 2, 2000, By Mark Nielsen, Daily News Staff

Bill Luttrell, the recently appointed Salvation Army Commander for Canada, knows that the movement’s work extends well beyond helping the downtrodden living in the inner cities — which is why he paid a visit Friday to the Peace.

“Wherever we have people I think you’ll find that needs exist and that’s a reality of life and that’s where the Salvation Army is,” he said during a visit to the Salvation Army Church in Dawson Creek.

The stopover is part of a tour that has also taken Luttrell, and his wife Gwen, to northwest B.C. as he seeks to visit the more remote parts of the country after being named to the post in March. Luttrell is a believer in seeing first-hand what is being done.

“You can read reports and we certainly produce those, and people can tell you stories and you can look at books,” he said. “But nothing is as significant as coming and meeting people, listening and finding out what the needs are and what the work is doing and just getting a sense of what’s being accomplished.”

Even before coming this way, the Luttrells have done their share of moving around. Stops during their years in the Salvation Army have included northern California, the Central Pacific, before heading north of the 49th.

As the new Commander, Luttrell plans to continue the Salvation Army’s 130-year-old mission. “The Salvation Army was raised up in London, England in 1865 and the then founder gave direction to the Army then that still exists today,” he said. “Basically, we were raised up to save souls, to serve Saints, and to serve suffering humanity.”

Which means there is plenty of work for the Salvation Army to do. “Unfortunately, I don’t think any of those needs have changed,” he said. “You would hope that after 130 years that we’d made some progress and we have, but with growth that takes place throughout the world, the need still exists and so that mission continues even today.”

But Luttrell said the Salvation Army’s work is made easier by the support of the communities where its soldiers are stationed, particularly in the smaller centres like Dawson Creek. “There seems to be a sense of caring,” Luttrell said. “I mean we can pick that up just in casual conversation with people.”

The Luttrells also visited Fort St. John before returning to Dawson Creek to hold a service Friday evening.

Dawson Creek Salvation Army Captain Joan Shayler believes it has been the first-ever visit by a Canadian Commander to the Mile Zero City.

“I believe that it means that our headquarters is very interested in what’s happening in the rural areas of our country, and for the people here it is a big event,” she said.

This article is taken from the Peace River Block Daily News, Dawson Creek, with the permission of the publisher. The Daily News retains all rights relating to this material. The information in this article is intended solely for research or general interest purposes.

« BN09-02: Salvation Army Set to Open New Services Centre

BN09-04: The Salvation Army Continues to Scramble »

© 2023 South Peace Historical Society. All Rights Reserved.