The Salvation Army is in the planning phase of building a new facility on Ross Mill Road in Henderson with a focus on serving youth in the five-county area.
The facility will be located on a 40-acre lot near the new Mako Medical Laboratories facility and new Vance Charter School location.
Captain Rick Langley with the Salvation Army, who was recently on air, said a sizeable trust is allowing this dream to become a reality.
“My wife and I came to this area from South Carolina in 2012,” said Langley. “Thanks to a sizeable trust that the Salvation Army received, things have been topsy-turvy in a positive way since then. It has allowed for a lot of growth.”
With architects finalizing building plans now, the goal is to break ground this June with completion expected by summer 2019.
The facility will include a community center, gym, full-size commercial kitchen and two ball fields – baseball and soccer. “The ball fields will help youth become more involved in sports and can be used as a playing field for Vance Charter School’s home games,” said Langley.
According to Langley, the facility will also offer band lessons, drama classes, cooking lessons and Christian dance classes.
To help meet the transportation needs of those interested in using the facility, the Salvation Army has already purchased a 12-passenger van and a bus with the option to purchase up to five additional buses if the need arises.
With a focus on providing youth with fun, productive activities, the organization’s goal is to provide better options than turning to a life of crime. “We can give options,” Langley said. “The options they have now are to join a gang or do nothing. We want to give them the option to do something productive like playing an instrument or play baseball.”
While the Salvation Army is low on volunteer opportunities at the moment, plenty of volunteers will be needed when the new facility opens next year. “Lots of volunteers will be needed when the building is completed,” said Langley. “We’ll need coaches, mentors, umpires, refs and plenty more.”
Langley is certain that the new facility will uphold the Salvation Army’s mission to “preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs without discrimination.”