SIDNEY — Lt. Katie Mayes and Capt. Samantha Lockard have taken over as the new Corps Officer and Assistant Corps Officer of the Sidney/Shelby County Salvation Army.
Sidney is Mayes’ second appointment after her start in Darry, New Hampshire. She attended Salvation Army Camp Swoneky in Ohio as a child, but didn’t become fully involved in the organization until she was in college in Kentucky.
“I got just a summer job and then I never left,” Mayes said.
Lockard started out in Watertown, New York, five years ago. Sidney is her third appointment. The Salvation Army was also Lockard’s church as a child.
“I never really got involved in the camp life until I was a teenager and I wanted a job,” Lockard said. “I never left.”
Both Mayes and Lockard have new programs and dates they plan to bring to the Sidney Salvation Army.
“I’m just really excited about the potential that is here,” Lockard said. “There’s a lot of freedom here; not only what we can do but the space that we can use to do it,” she said.
Mayes hopes to focus on generating more youth involvement.
“We think we’re going to bring some good energy to the Corps,” Mayes said. “This building is really nice, really big, and we just want to fill it with laughing children,” Mayes said.
Mayes and Lockard look forward to becoming a part of the Shelby County community.
“I’m really excited about how active this community is,” Lockard said.
The culture of the Salvation Army encourages them to engage the community rather than remaining outsiders.
“We very much want to make this our home,” Mayes said. “We want to become a part of Sidney and care about what Sidney cares about and help what Sidney needs help with. That’s very important to us.”
Dates for new events will be coming in fall. For more information, visit the Sidney/Shelby County Salvation Army Facebook page or call the office at 937-492-8412.
