As the new year begins, excitement and anticipation greet us. The Young Adult

Initiative is poised to break new ground as several projects and events take shape and

take their place within the fabric of Salvation Army mission and ministry.

This issue of the Pipeline is full of encouraging news from around the country. You’ll

read about an exciting development taking shape in Arizona as well as hear about how

the now annual Rock the Red Kettle event took on a new dimension this past

Christmas. A summary of how mission trips will introduce new groups of young adults

to The Salvation Army is included as is Sally Harris’ Red Kettle Epiphany—an

interesting story about the impact kettle are capable of having.

In addition to the contributions made by the Young Adult Task Force, we’re grateful for

the contributions made by Marlene Klotz-Collins and Jennifer Byrd to this issue of

Pipeline. You can be assured that in 2012, the YAI will continue to steadily forward

march to introduce younger generations to The Salvation Army.

STEADILY FORWARD MARCH

Sixteen-year-old Katie Wilkinson, a junior at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona, started The Salvation Army’s first high school Red Kettle Club in America last

fall. On December 3, 2011 multiple campus clubs supported the inaugural project, covering a kettle location for 10 hours.

On a cold and rainy Saturday, school principal

Brent Brown and his assistant also stood kettles with their students. Katie and other soloists from

the school’s premiere choir drew groups of passers-by as they caroled around the kettle. And a group of band members entertained as

well.

The students raised $1,386. “Their kettle total averaged what we typically might see from up to

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NATION’S FIRST RED KETTLE CLUB

The YAI has been scouting opportunities and evaluating the many ways that we can fulfill our goals and objectives as laid out in the Historic Strategic Plan. After NAOC, we have been focusing our efforts on creating and testing models for sending young adults on mission trips within The Salvation Army world both within the US and Internationally. The Army currently provides opportunities to young Salvationists, which makes this an opportunity for expansion.

I believe in this opportunity for the depth of engagement and potentially transforming experience it provides. But lately, we have been looking to cast a wider net. If we are Doing the Most Good in every zip code in America, we need a way to reach young people where they live.

A year ago, Sally Harris moved to the town of Great Barrington, MA—a town of approximately 7000 year round inhabitants. In the summer it swells to 25,000 when New Yorkers and Bostonians come for the lively arts scene. Knowing The Salvation Army is everywhere, Sally contacted the corps 25 miles away, which led to her being recruited to open a local Service Extension Unit to represent the Army and serve the local need. Before completing due diligence to know how to start, kettle season had commenced. The representative didn’t want to miss the season, so before long, Sally was standing outside of Price Chopper grocery store ringing a bell and recruiting others to do the same. And here came the Aha! Moment.

“It is more blessed to give than to receive”, but ringing a bell for The Salvation Army to summon others to give is the greatest blessing of all.

People were thankful for the Army being there. Volunteers learned about the Army by experiencing the public good will. It was explained to each bell ringer that the money would stay in Great Barrington and help our needy so they could tell others. Some recruits were timid to start but when the day ended, there was a visible change. They were proud to be there. There were mothers and their daughters who had a ball while raising a lot of money.

In San Diego, we heard about the second annual Rock the Red Kettle event, along with Katie of Tempe, AZ who started a Red Kettle Club at her school. With the long lead time we have for next year, I would like to see a nationwide youth adult push around kettles. Working within a structure that has such huge potential, we can build around it in ways that engage by connecting youth with who the Army is, where the money goes, ways they can participate within their zip code…the reason for kettles.

The Holy Spirit moves through kettle. We get that.

RED KETTLE EPIPHANY

National Young Adult Initiative

T he S a l v a t i o n A rmy

PipelinePipelinePipelinePipeline Winter 2012

In its continuing efforts to reach the emerging generations, The Salvation Army

partnered again with the rock band Honor Society who headlined the first ever Rock

the Red Kettle Tour during the 2011 holiday season. The tour kicked off on November

26, 2011 in Orlando, FL and supported the Army's annual Red Kettle Campaign.

During the multi-city tour, Honor Society asked fans to support The Salvation Army in

their local communities during the Christmas season through volunteerism and giving

to those less fortunate. The band also volunteered at various Salvation Army

programs, including youth programs, kitchens and shelters. They even helped to stand

kettles in the various locations during their tour.

The Salvation Army conducted a robust social media campaign announcing tour dates

and events, making increased outreach to young fans and potential new Salvation

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ROCK THE RED KETTLE

MEET THE TEAM

Jason Howard NAB Member/Chair, YA Task Force

Sally Harris NAB Member/Advisor

Marcia Larson NAB Member

Meredith Counce Team Member/Liaison to NAB Chairperson

Pastor Miles McPherson NAB Member/Advisor

Diane Paddison NAB Member/Advisor

Captain Rob Reardon National Young Adult Initiative Coordinator

Captain Kyle Smith Western Territorial Representative

Joy Mikles Southern Territorial Representative

Rob Bonesteel Central Territorial Representative

Kelly Pope Eastern Territorial Representative

Oren MacMillan Administrative Support/NHQ

The Salvation Army USA National Headquarters ● 615 Slaters Lane Alexandria VA 22314 ● 703.684.5500

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Winter 2012 2 PipelinePipelinePipelinePipeline

Army supporters. Honor Society mirrored our social media efforts,

encouraging their fans to volunteer at The Salvation Army.

The tour ended with the second annual Rock the Red Kettle Concert on

December 17, 2011 at Universal Studios’ CityWalk. The concert was

hosted by Mario Lopez of Extra and in addition to Honor Society,

featured a mix of today’s top young stars, including Colbie Caillat, Cody

Simpson, Greyson Chance, Drake Bell and Hanson. The free concert

was open to the public.

The concert was streamed live at Cambio.com/rock-the-red-kettle. In

order to collect information on new volunteers/supporters, views had to

fill out a form, which asked for age, zip code and email. Once the form

was completed, they gained access to the concert being streamed live.

Nearly 14,000 names were collected.

Locally, The Salvation Army raised $3,094.49 for the Burbank Corps

through Kettles strategically located at the event. They also collected

contact information from more than 70 donors or potential volunteers.

They distributed more than 500 information postcards to concert goers.

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ROCK THE RED KETTLE

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the

ends of the earth" – Acts 1:8.

Heeding the Great Commission, the Young Adult Initiative is developing four short-term mission pilot projects for summer 2012. This project was

approved by the Commissioners’ Conference in 2011.

The idea is to recruit young people (18-35 years of age) from church groups, Christian universities and businesses who are eager to volunteer and

learn more about the work of the Army. Once vetted and screened, these volunteers will be the hands and feet of the Army, working alongside a local

Salvation Army officer who will join the team. Upon return to the host city (Dallas, San Diego, NY, etc.), the local Salvation Army officer will continue

to tap this crew for volunteer projects, giving endeavors, and leadership opportunities with the long-term in view.

Self-funded participants (this program aims to be revenue producing for the Army) will volunteer in Judea (local projects such as Kroc Centers

and inner-city locations) and Samaria (international Salvation Army destinations). The goal? To enable young

people to see firsthand the Kingdom work being done by the Army and to alleviate the load of local officers

whether their needs be construction, teaching, or other skills. In turn, these short-term Salvation Army

missionaries become ambassadors for the Army back home in their local communities with stories and testimonies

to share.

Once the four pilot trips have been completed, the program will be assessed and fine-tuned with the goal of

promoting it on a larger scale during Intervarsity’s Urbana Student Missions conference in St. Louis, MO from

December 27-31, 2012. Urbana is a four day conference that attracts over 30,000 college students and has been

held every three years since 1946. More information about Urbana can be found at their website: www.urbana.org.

The Young Adult Task Force is meeting at the NAB meeting in San Diego with representatives from the four US

territories to make plans for the pilot projects projected for summer 2012.

five volunteer groups combined,” said Tempe Corps Officer Captain Robyn Bridgeo.

“I love how this club has brought the school and community together to

help such a wonderful organization,” Katie said. “Just making the students aware of the many programs that their bell-ringing will benefit

was tremendous. Most had no idea of the Army’s work.”

At the Phoenix Advisory Board’s Christmas appreciation luncheon, Katie was recognized as club founder and, to her surprise, presented a Red Kettle Award. Her principal also received a kettle award for display at

the school.

“It has been very special to watch Katie develop the concept of a Red Kettle Club from an idea into such a successful program within our

campus and community,” Brown said. “She has given and will continue to give all of us new opportunities to experience the goodness of

helping others.”

Club members also worked during the holidays at two d i f ferent warehouses,

p r e p a r i n g g i f t s f o r distribution. They will tour

the Phoenix ARC in January and plan a donations drive

at their school in early spring.

“Never in my 20 years with

the Army have I found such a dynamic young lady,” Captain Bridgeo said of

Katie.

Brown concluded, “She and her fellow officers and club

members are a great source of pride to our school and

district. This club will, indeed, be one of Katie’s

legacies at Corona del Sol High School.”

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NATION’S FIRST RED KETTLE CLUB

Majors Ian Robinson (SoCal) and George Hood with the guys of Honor Society

before the show at Universal Studios.

GO INTO ALL THE WORLD