The Good Life – November-December 2017

LOCAL HERO // THE SALVATION ARMY
Local heroes
The Salvation Army
WRITTEN BY: DANIELLE TEIGEN
PHOTOGRAPHY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
It’s only natural that when you hear the words “Salvation
Army,” you immediately think of the Yuletide tradition of
bell ringing and red kettles. For nearly 130 years, the
Salvation Army has ingrained that image into the minds
of people the world over, but the organization is more
than metal kettles and a cacophony of bells ringing into
the frigid night air.
The organization actually began as a church, one that
embraced the most destitute and defeated; back in
Victorian England, William Booth saw a need but his
own church refused to support his unconventional
idea of preaching to the people, so he and his wife
left the church and set out on their own. Major
Elaine Medlock can recite that story as though
its her own personal story; she goes on to say
that while the way the Salvation Army ministers
has evolved over time, the organization still
embraces the basic principles of soup, soap
and salvation.
“Because you can’t talk to someone about
their soul when they’re hungry,” she explains.
Medlock and her husband Byron are the
officers of the Fargo Salvation Army, and
they’ve been leading the organization for
the past 5 years but have been officers for
32 years. The call to serve came early,
likely from Medlock’s early experiences
playing on the Salvation Army’s
playground behind her house where
she grew up in Wichita, Kansas. Her
30 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com