Come In! Exploration of the Salvation Army's Seniors Program and Church Building

Right around Thanksgiving time last year, a feeling of panic rippled through Beacon. The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that the soup kitchen at the Salvation Army in Beacon, located in the large church near the Beacon Pantry, had mostly closed its doors and was only operating for seniors. As a result, Beaconites rallied and  created a new soup kitchen down the road in the Tabernacle Church of Christ, near the Howland Cultural Center. It became the newest in a list of other soup kitchens that had been operating, including the First Presbyterian Church on Liberty Street just over the Fishkill Creek, and the Springfield Baptist Church's Seniors Feeding Seniors program on Mattie Cooper. But what of those seniors who were still being fed by the Salvation Army twice weekly, which seemed a detail lost in the shadowy corners of the article? Major James C. Kisser Jr., Commanding Officer and Senior Pastor of this branch of the Salvation Army, cited the growing population of elderly people in Beacon as the reason for the shift in his already low budget, to have more of an impact on a narrower group of people, that still may grow within the program.

Curious, and never having stepped into the Salvation Army's building, we dedicated a "Come In!" article to this group, starting with an RSVP of "Yes" to one of their Tuesday/Thursday meals that was holiday party-themed. It took a few trips around the building to find the right door, but once opened, wafting aromas of a holiday meal cooking in the kitchen were abundant. A group of elderly folk gathered around a table, listening to a retired pastor recall the lessons he learned from his days of leading a Salvation Army ministry far from here, while other attendees finished craft projects and decorated the table in between tea cups and cookies. 

A special Tuesday/Thursday gathering dedicated to the holiday party for the Senior Program.
Photo credit: Rhode Lopez Northrup

Seniors enjoying tea and cookies at holiday time.
Photo credit: Rhode Lopez Northrup

Rhode Northrup, Ministry Assistant and Seniors Program Director at the Salvation Army with Beacon Mayor Randy Casale.
Photo credit: Rhode Lopez Northrup

From left: Captain Deborah Kisser, Mayor Randy Casale, Major James C. Kisser Jr.
Photo credit: Rhode Lopez Northrup

When there is not a holiday party, what happens on a regular Tuesday/Thursday for this elderly group? What kind of people from the community are served? Not much can be seen from the outside of the building, so ... What goes on inside? How much of the building is actually used as a church, and how much is blocked off by odd structures built inside? A Little Beacon Blog explores...

About the Senior Program at Beacon's Salvation Army

Every Tuesday and Thursday, the kitchen at the Salvation Army is lit up. The head cook whipping up a meal from their food pantry is Rhode Lopez Northrup, Ministry Assistant and Seniors Program Director at Salvation Army in Beacon. This particular Thursday, she prepared "Pale Pie," which upon making in my own home has been dubbed "Potato Skin Pie" or "Mashed Potato Lasagna" (recipe below). A donation of potatoes came in to the Salvation Army kitchen that week, and Rhode needed to cook them all to serve the group.

The Salvation Army has been in Beacon for over 15 years, and had a Senior Program that had been put on hold for budgetary reasons. Rhode was hired in 2014 to lead the Senior Program and develop its programming. Anyone over 50 years of age can come to any Tuesday and Thursday meal, where Rhode makes lunch and provides quizzes, games, songs and a crafty project. Says Rhode, "Education and service make a difference in someone's life."

Photo credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Craft projects at Salvation Army can be just as fun as those you'd pay to attend, like a paint party at a local wine shop or another venue changing things up for its patrons. An opportunity to paint on canvas may be the first time any of these seniors picked up a brush. Sometimes the Tuesday/Thursday activities rekindle an old passion, hobby or trade in them. Says Rhode: "I have been to their homes, and they have hung the paintings on their walls and displayed the craft projects we make."

Photo credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Likewise, Rhode's office displays paintings from the group as well.

Photo credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

The cement block walls may seem bleak, but decorations and live music warm hearts all year round. Some days a guest might bring a musical instrument like an accordion and take requests for performing old songs, like "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

Photo credit: Rhode Lopez Northrup

Socializing is very important to the Salvation Army's mission. These seniors regularly attend Tuesday/Thursday meetings for a hot meal but also craft or color together. Craft projects vary every week. Materials can be donated directly to the Salvation Army's building on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

Photo credit: Rhode Lopez Northrup

Winter snowmen craft projects that each person put together and took home.
Photo credit: Katie Hellmuth

About the Salvation Army in Beacon, NY 

Two different components make up the Salvation Army: a worship center, and a social ministry. They are different programs within one organization. The room pictured below is the worship center, and is actually a small room located off to the side of the main sanctuary. It might normally be used as a reception area for coffee and donuts. Why does the congregation not worship in the sanctuary? Good question...

Photo credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Years ago, this building was rented out and used as a mental health care facility. Within that capacity, watchtower-like structures were built in the center of the church sanctuary. The structures are unused today, yet have not been removed because tearing them down and removing the material is too expensive a project for this branch of the Salvation Army to take on.

Photo credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

So the staff operates within narrow quarters tucked inside of these looming structures that occupy the most beautiful part of the building. For all of the reclaimer artists in Beacon, this looks like a tempting tear-down project for materials, or even pieces and parts for a theatrical stage.

Photo credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

How to Donate to Beacon's Salvation Army

Says Rhode of Beacon: "I have never seen a community as generous as Beacon. I can't figure out why. All I know is that I have never seen anything like this."

Physically donating food to the building can be challenging, because operating hours are limited, and someone needs to buzz you in at just the right time from just the right door. Those who are hip to correct doors and times can deliver the right kind of donations. Normally nonperishables are accepted, but if potatoes or uncooked turkeys are delivered at just the right time to be cooked that day or the next, these special items can be accepted. Oftentimes, used items are donated or left outside of the building. Due to state and federal regulations, cooked food and used items are not accepted, no matter what kind of pristine condition they are in.

Donations can be made in a number of ways:

• Deliver nonperishables or new items still in their packaging to the church at 372 Main Street on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, between the hours of 1 and 4pm. Use the very back door in the very back of the building. Not any side doors, but the back door. There is a small parking lot in the back if you are driving. Or, if you are walking or parking on Main Street, walk up the path on the right side of the building. Simply step over the chain that is there to prevent cars from using the path as a shortcut to avoid the light and get on Rt. 52 (yeah, it happened! hence the chain).
• Drop change into the red kettles that are located at the nearest Walmart, Key Food, Sam's Club, Stop n Shop or Shop Rite. All of those are connected to the Salvation Army located in Beacon.
• Donate clothes to 1-800-SATRUCK if you have used items.
• Write a check.
• Maybe tear down those walls inside of the sanctuary...?

 

Recipe for "Pale Pie," "Potato Skin Pie" or "Mashed Potato Lasagna" 

So good. So good. Rhode calls this "Pale Pie." When I made it it, it felt like I was layering food like lasagna. When I ate it, the dish tasted the way it might if loaded baked potatoes were a pie. The recipe is easy to alter to fine-tune to your tastes. I've included a few ingredients I used to tweak it.

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 6 medium potatoes
Butter - 1 stick + 2 tablespoons, softened
Milk - 1 cup
Heavy cream - 1/4 cup
Pepper
Salt - a lot...
Garlic - 1 clove
Scallion - 1 stalk
Grated mozzarella, cheddar, and a third cheese if you want - havarti dill would be tasty!
Cooked ham, cut into pieces (or substitute pan-cooked chicken grilled in butter with garlic powder)

Mashed Potatoes
Cut the potatoes into halves or thirds and boil in a large pot until soft.
Chop the garlic and scallion and in a pan, melt the butter and pour the garlic and scallion in to soften over low heat and lightly brown. 
Drain the potatoes and keep in the large pot.
Put the cooked garlic and scallion into the potatoes, followed by the stick of butter, and a third of the milk.
Mash the potatoes and continue pouring in the milk and heavy cream.
Add the salt and pepper as you beat, tasting as you go.

The Pie
In an oven-safe dish, layer the following items:
1- A layer of mashed potatoes
2- A layer of cheese (combine the different types)
3- A layer of meat
4- A layer of mashed potatoes
5 - Repeat.  Be sure that the last layer on top is the cheese layer!

Put in the oven at 350 until the cheese is bubbly.
Right before serving, sprinkle thinly chopped green onions or parsley on top.