CCAISD and the community can be very proud of local students grades 3, 4, 5, 6, along with members of the National Honor Society for raising $978 to support our local Salvation Army (SA) services. In addition to student volunteers, Pastor Ron Buxton of the Van Horn Community Christian Church brought-in about $600.
Students worked almost every weekend in December to help with the cause creating community and fellowship and learning some valuable lessons.
In the true spirit of the season, an anonymous donor matched the students fundraising effort donating $1,000 to the non-profit.
Pastor Buxton administrates the distribution of funds for those in need and vows to be the best steward of the hard earned funds raised. This past month, for example, the SA helped 3 different people get bus tickets, and another individual that needed car repair service in the amount of $500. Prior to this recent fund drive, checks totaling about $800 were issued to several clients.
Previous statements were made to the effect that The Salvation Army would help folks with their bills, etc. Although the SA would like to help local folks with utility bills, etc., they just don’t have the resources to sustain that need–unless it is a serious and urgent need. With the exception of the generous donor to match money the students raised, almost all donations came from folks that were traveling on the highway.
Unfortunately, some in town have abused the benevolence funds of most (if not all) the local churches. Checks cannot be written to a person to cover supposed needs. That’s where wisdom and discernment come in. Pastor Buxton spent his early professional career as a social worker and views these matters differently. As the Salvation Army motto states, “Doing the Most Good”, means proper stewardship.