Salvation Army captains reassigned
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on June 17, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BECKY BARCLAY
Capts. Julie Igleheart, left, and Kenny Igleheart sit in the Salvation Army. They will be leaving the Wayne County branch for the Elizabeth City branch.
The Wayne County Salvation Army will have new leadership the end of this month, as Capts. Kenny and Julie Igleheart are being reassigned.
Their last day is June 21.
"So we get to do our Father's Day message that morning," Igleheart said.
The Iglehearts have been appointed to Elizabeth City.
"We're looking forward to going to Elizabeth City," Igleheart said. "But we still had more to do here, so I'm not ready to leave yet. Every officer will tell you that they're never ready to leave an assignment. There's always something else you want to accomplish and you also don't want to leave those relationships you've built."
The Iglehearts came to Goldsboro in June 2011 from the Salvation Army in Rock Hill, S.C., where they served two years.
They've seen many changes in Wayne County while here.
"I think some of the greatest accomplishments we've had are some of the changes to our services, like our life skills classes," Igleheart said. "Our goal is to give them more help than just some monetary assistance for this month or here's some food or clothing for this month. We want to give them more. There's more available to them if they want it.
"Our goal is to help them long-term, not just short term."
The commanders started the life skills classes in January 2014. There are four classes -- motivational, nutrition, money management and job search skills.
"I've learned something personally from every class," Igleheart said. "And everyone who comes to one has said they have learned something and want to come to the others. The classes have been a great success."
"It's good to see the outcome," Mrs. Igleheart said. "In the motivational talk, people come in downhearted and wonder why they are here. The gentleman who gives the motivational class is very active with them. And they all go out with a smile on their face."
The Iglehearts hear how the classes have helped clients.
"We had one young lady who did the nutrition class and one of my women's auxiliary members was interviewing her and said she noticed a decrease in her food stamps," Mrs. Igleheart said. "The woman said she got a part-time job and her food stamps were cut. She said she survived by the class where she learned portion control. She said her kids don't go to bed stuffed like pigs, but they go to bed satisfied.
"She came back about two months ago and wanted to talk to me. She said she got a full-time job and was no longer on food stamps. But she's still doing the portion control she learned in the class."
Igleheart said another change has been a push for clients in the Salvation Army shelter to get some training and more responsibility.
"We're not just a place you come and crash for the night," he said. "We push them further to end that cycle of homelessness."
The commanders also started a community garden and an exercise class and opened a second family store last November. Mrs. Igleheart said she's proud of the women's auxiliary for trying new challenges -- like a purse, jewelry and shoe sale to raise money for the organization.
A big change was not having the annual barbecue luncheon, but having a nonattendance luncheon instead, asking for donations instead of preparing a meal to sell.
The Salvation Army is in the process of doing a mission study. A company has been hired to interview every agency in Wayne County that helps people, along with the Salvation Army's board, women's auxiliary and church members.
"The goal is to identify what needs are in the community and see if the Salvation Army can fit one of those needs," Igleheart said. "It will start in July and probably be completed somewhere around Christmas. It may be a new focus or it may be just keep doing what we're doing."
Although the Iglehearts are looking forward to new opportunities in Elizabeth City, they will miss the people of Wayne County.
The new commanders are coming from Columbia, S.C. They are Lt. Phillip and Sherrie Stokes.