Celebration of Hope
CELEBRATION OF HOPE
On February 21, 2019 The Salvation Army Indiana Division came together for a celebration of hope. Over 200 individuals arrived for this special event that marked the official dedication of a new headquarters building and included the annual awarding of First Generation Hope Scholars awards to college-bound seniors from across the state.
The evening began with food and sharing stories before the official program started. The program opened by recognizing how The Salvation Army is serving communities across the state and how this new facility will be an asset to the entire Division as it strives to "do the most good" for Hoosiers in need. Officers from each Corps Community Center participated in the evening by sharing some of the work they have done in their community. Testimonials such as “provided 38,424 meals to people in need” in Logansport and “3250 happy Christmas mornings” in New Albany showed the real impact that The Salvation Army has across Indiana. 
Included in the celebration of hope program was the conferring of two prestigious Salvation Army awards, the William Booth Award and the “Others” Award, to Rush Yelverton and Carl Heckman. These are two individuals have gone above and beyond to serve others and help The Salvation Army in its mission to meet human need without discrimination. Two regional businesses, Kroger and Turner Construction also received Outstanding Corporate Volunteer Awards during the program.
The highlight of the evening was the awarding of $14,000 in scholarships to six Hoosier students who are seeking to become the first in their family to earn a college degree. The scholarships are part of the First Generation Hope Scholars program, which launched in 2017 and continues to grow each year. The goal of the program is to help young and men and women who have overcome great obstacles, like poverty, homelessness, abuse, and other trauma, and are now striving to change the course of their lives through education. All six scholars will be in attendance, along with the parents, guardians, and counselors who have supported them through difficult times.
The celebration of hope was a successful event, and was a great opportunity to reflect on the past and make hopeful plans for the future. We want to thank everyone who made this incredible evening possible.