Northwest Medical Analytic Laboratory Assists Salvation Army
The following story, titled “Salvation Army finds holiday home,” appeared in the Daily News on November 23. The article discusses the decision by PSI tenant Northwest Medical Analytic Laboratory to allow the Salvation Army Community Christmas Center to set up shop in a building owned by NMAL at 720 14th Avenue in Longview.
By Brenda Blevins McCorkle
Just in the nick of time, the Salvation Army Community Christmas Center has found a home for the holiday season.
The owners of the former Goodwill building - the doctors from Northwest Medical Analytic Lab - volunteered the site for the center to use as home base this Christmas. The building is at 720 14th Ave.
Beverly Gilmore, coordinator for the Christmas center, said she and her fellow volunteers were “just tickled.”
“It’s a wonderful, beautiful building,” Gilmore said. “They came through like a champ.”
Families who need assistance during the Christmas season can fill out an application at The Salvation Army as soon as a building is donated, Gilmore said.
Once the Christmas Center starts filling up with clothes and toys from the Angel Tree donations, a volunteer takes the parents shopping at the Christmas Center, where they can choose one new article of clothing, one new toy and stocking stuffers for each child.
On average, 1,500 community children are served each year by the program, which has been in existence since 1972.
Each year, Gilmore struggles to find a vacant building for the center. This year was no different, but she said she is grateful for the help she received with the task.
One of the program’s board members, Duane Nordstrom, was particularly instrumental, she said.
“He was dogged after getting the building, like a pitbull,” she said, chuckling.
The center should open Dec. 1, Gilmore said, adding that the next hurdle lies in preparing the center.
“It’s the loading and unloading,” she said. “We could use some manpower on Monday to help us unload trucks.”
Anyone wanting to volunteer can leave their name and number with the Salvation Army, 423-3990, or call Gilmore at 577-6060.
