Salvation Army Major Janet Clarke (left) and her husband, Commanding Officer Fred Clarke, in Clarke’s Cafe. (Sentinel photo by KARI SWEIGART)

LEWISTOWN — We have all seen them, the jolly bell ringers dressed in red who faithfully stand outside during the frigid holiday months, protecting that red bucket and asking for your change. The ones most people walk right past. They are the Salvation Army soldiers, the strength of one of the nation’s oldest and most generous charitable causes.

Since its humble origin in 1865 in London, England, the Salvation Army has evolved into an international organization that spans every U.S. state and 135 countries worldwide. Today, service members continue to dedicate their lives and their skills completely to God.

Locally, Major Janet Clarke, now in her 14th year leading the Lewistown, headquarters, and her husband, Commanding Officer Fred Clarke, continue to honor William and Catherine Booth’s legacy.

“They were visionaries ahead of their time,” Janet said. She explained that back in 1865, the Booths felt divinely compelled to bridge the gap between the wealthy and the poverty-stricken citizens of London. In times when church required “Sunday clothing” and admittance was based on personal hygiene and income; there was a very clear divide between socio-economic classes.

“They wanted to reach people in Jesus’ name,” she said. “They wanted people to know Jesus and have faith. Their primary goal was to first feed them and then help them get cleaned up.”

In the 1800s, open Air meetings were held in the streets to raise money to aid the less fortunate. Female evangelists and members of the

Salvation Army would dress in plain clothes instead of their uniforms to be more approachable to the needy. They earned the name “slum sisters” and taught women how to cook, how to care for their children, and how to clean their homes.

Salvation Army members would walk with people to and from their homes to make sure they didn’t go into the bars. They visited “well-to-do” areas and entered pubs with tambourines jangling in hand to ask for donations.

“They wanted to be a ray of hope,” Major Clarke said.

The idea was to reach people who normally wouldn’t attend church. Along these tavern routes, the Salvation Army also sold their magazine, The War Cry, to raise funds while preaching and creating fellowship.

The Booth Match Factory was built to provide more jobs and decrease toxic working conditions.

Entering its 120th year of serving the local community, the Lewistown Salvation Army continues to honor the ideals that William and Catherine Booth believed in so many years ago. Once a month on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, local residents can walk in and receive free, non-perishable food items from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

A recent meeting was paused a few times as Major Clarke got up to meet someone in need at the window. She handed them gift cards and, when she returned, said that the gift cards were given out due to not having enough space in the refrigerator and freezer.

“I wish we had a portable walk-in cooler,” she said. “This would allow us to keep a larger amount of fresh food and help us feed more people.”

The small food pantry appeared to be in great need of replenishment, especially after the holidays.

“We can help with heating shutoff notices and rental assistance, too, but only when the funding is available,” Janet said. Since the Salvation Army receives zero state or federal funding, all of the programs it offers, including the food pantry, rely strictly on donations.

In addition to feeding the hungry and carrying on William and Catherine Booth’s vision, the Salvation Army has a number of drug and alcohol recovery programs throughout Pennsylvania. These centers are open 24/7/365 and provide treatment, clothing, food and dormitory-style living for individuals focused on improving their lives through faith. Every Salvation Army Thrift Store donates 100% of its profit to these recovery programs. The thrift stores also hand out clothing and household-item vouchers for victims escaping domestic violence situations and facing homelessness.

A tour of the building that was once home to the Lewistown Sentinel revealed how big and antiquated the building is. Inside the vintage elevator, Janet reached up to pull down the wooden frame. A short ride later, down on the ground floor, remained an outline of a printing press. There was a visit to Fellowship Hall and discussion of other programs offered at the Lewistown location. Kids’ Club is held every Monday night from October through May (except when school is out). Children of the community are invited to gather at 5 p.m., where the “troops” are served supper, engage in Bible study, participate in groups and are served a snack before being deployed back home.

On the second floor, there is a cozy café, where visitors can relax with hot cocoa, tea, and coffee while admiring the vibrant colors of the hand-painted mural. Fred ushered visitors into the sanctuary, which was beautifully decorated for Christmas and adorned with skillfully crafted stained glass.

When asked what the Lewistown Salvation Army has in store for 2026, Janet excitedly talked about their five-year fundraiser campaign, which began in August 2025.

“The goal is to raise enough funds to build a brand new building that would increase programming,” she said. “We could serve more. Feed more. Give more.”

The projected site for the new building is directly adjacent to the existing building, where the old VFW once stood.

Until then, the Lewistown Salvation Army will continue hosting Ladies’ Night on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and Men’s Night on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. These events are exclusively for men and women looking to relax in a peaceful, child-free environment, and snacks are provided.

Camp Ladore signups begin in March and offer two summer camps in the Poconos for Lewistown kids and teens. Register online at https://campladore.org for a five-day getaway full of cabin fun, swimming, a ropes course, farm animals, lake activities and discipleship. Both camps are free and are supervised by well-vetted volunteers such as schoolteachers, Christian college students, and Salvation Army members from around the globe. Last year, there were volunteers from Africa, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

At Kid Connection in May, parents and children can meet with community agencies to learn about local resources.

Vacation Bible School continues in June and is sure to give children a memorable experience full of fun Bible study, crafts, snacks and friendship.

In September, the annual Amish Auction will take place, where the public meets in Fellowship Hall to bid on locally harvested Amish goods. Baked items and produce will be auctioned off, and all proceeds go directly to stocking the food pantry.

Keeping with tradition, to close out 2026, the Salvation Army will once again launch its Angel Tree Program. The 2025 initiative was able to grant Christmas gift wishes to 207 families and reached about 450 children in the Juniata Valley. Sign-ups for the 2026 Angel Tree occur during the entire month of October on the Lewistown Salvation Army Facebook page and at https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/eastern-pennsylvania/lewistown/.

Finally, in their 34th year serving The Salvation Army, Major Janet and Commanding Officer Frederick Clarke invite the community into their house of worship, 9 S. Dorcas St., Lewistown, on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Tambourines are encouraged.