Helen McNair Presents Black History/Valentine's Day Concert

Helen McNair will present a Black History/Valentine's Day concert Thursday, Feb. 11 at the Fifth Street Senior Center in San Bernardino.

 

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Professional singer, Helen McNair, presents a Black History/Valentine’s Day Concert on Thursday, February 11, 2010, at 10:45 A.M., at the Fifth Street Senior Center, 600 West Fifth Street, San Bernardino. 

The concert is sponsored by Linda Wilson-Gomez, Activities Director of San Bernardino Parks and Recreation.

Ms. McNair performs for weddings, banquets, community organizations and church functions throughout the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Nevada and much of the East and West coasts.  She has performed for such organizations as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Council of Negro Women, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

McNair began her professional career in the 1960s, along with her two sisters, in New Brunswick, New Jersey where they were known as the “Georgettes.” They began by singing in their church and traveling to New York City to record as background singers for professional and upcoming artists. “The group recorded ten records, none of which became national hits,” she said, “but were popular in the New Jersey and New York areas.”

McNair relocated to California in the 1980s, where she continued to sing as a solo artist. She recalls, “During one of my engagements at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, Mrs. Gertrude Ward, the manager of the Clara Ward Singers, approached me when I had finished singing and asked me to come to Los Angeles for an audition.  I went and auditioned and became a Clara Ward Singer.” The Clara Ward Singers were instrumental in bringing gospel music out of the church and into the main stream, performing in nightclubs, Las Vegas and Disneyland.

McNair has performed on stage with some of the gospel greats as well as The Clara Ward Singers.  Other artists include Professor James Cleveland, Professor Raymond Rasberry, Gregory Perkins-Bowen, Vernard Johnson, Shirley Caesar and Albertina Walker.

She is a member of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in San Bernardino, CA., where she is an active member of the Sanctuary Choir, the Mass Choir, and Mission Chorus.

 
McNair can be reached for concerts and bookings at (951) 315-5961 or fax (909) 888-2331.

New Shelter Offers Hope for Great Future

A Salvation Army band entertained guests as they arrived for the Grand Opening of the Hospitality House emergency family shelter on Friday, Jan. 15. Photo by Chris Sloan

 A group of Salvation Army cadets and other visitors discuss plans for the new media center and the adjacent computer lab, which are both spaces primarily for children’s education within the Hospitality House emergency family shelter. The creation of both of these rooms was paid for by a $25,000 grant from Target, which gave money last year to several Salvation Army programs worldwide to further children’s literacy. Photo by Chris Sloan

Salvation Army advisory board member Carl Dameron speaks to Salvation Army Band leader and his daughter in the new kitchen of the Hospitality House emergency family shelter, for which a grand opening was held Friday, Jan. 15. Photo by Chris Sloan

Those taking part in the Grand Opening of the Salvation Army’s Hospitality House emergency family shelter on Friday, Jan. 15 were (front row) Margaret Hill, assistant superintendent with San Bernardino County schools;  Henry Nwosu, field representative for Senator Bob Dutton; Jesse Valdez, field representative to Congressman Joe Baca; Rebecca Bloomfield, field representative for Assembly Member Anthony Adams, Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps Director Nancy Ball, (back row) Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps Director Stephen Ball, Salvation Army Sierra Del Mar Division Commander Linda Markiewicz and Tom Brickley, chairman of the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps advisory board. The ceremony was attended by about 200 people. Photo by Chris Sloan

 

Salvation Army Sierra Del Mar Divisional Commander Linda Markiewicz and Nancy Tortorelli, resource development director for the Sierra Del Mar division of the Salvation Army, discuss the computer lab at the San Bernardino Corps’ newly-remodeled Hospitality House emergency family shelter. Photo by Chris Sloan

Sierra Del Mar Divisional Commander Linda Markiewicz tells guests about the Salvation Army’s mission of offering hope at the Grand Opening ceremony held Friday, Jan. 15 for the San Bernardino Corps’ newly-remodeled Hospitality House emergency family shelter. Photo by Chris Sloan

San Bernardino Mayor Patrick Morris tells visitors about the history of good things done in the building that will soon house Hospitality House emergency family shelter, which held a Grand Opening ceremony Friday, Jan. 15. The building previously housed a shelter for men recovering from substance abuse, operated by another branch of the Salvation Army. Before that, it was a fire station. Photo by Chris Sloan

 

San Bernardino Mayor Patrick Morris, Salvation Army Sierra Del Mar Divisional Commander Linda Markiewicz, and Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps Captains Stephen and Nancy Ball cut the ribbon Friday, Jan. 15 on the newly-remodeled Hospitality House emergency family shelter on Tenth Street. To the left of Mayor Morris is retired Salvation Army Major Russell Fritz who, as the previous San Bernardino Corps commander, laid groundwork on the plans to move the emergency shelter to this location, which takes place Feb. 1. Photo by Chris Sloan

 
 

San Bernardino Corps Director Capt. Stephen Ball speaks during a Grand Opening ceremony held Friday, Jan. 15 at the new Hospitality House emergency family shelter. Photo by Chris Sloan

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – When the Salvation Army of San Bernardino (www.salvationarmyusa.org) had to give up its homeless shelter on Kingman Street three years ago, many people knew something good would come from it.

Friday, January 15, their faith came to fruition, as the Salvation Army held the grand opening of a new extensively remodeled Hospitality House shelter at 925 10^th Street. About 200 people attended, including Salvation Army officers, local volunteers and elected officials from San Bernardino and surrounding areas.

Mayor Patrick Morris recalled that he had spoken here once before, when he was a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge, and spoke to men taking part in the Adult Rehabilitation Center treatment program the building housed then.

“These walls have seen a lot of good things happen,” he said. “Now the building is launching a new career. It will be a source of shelter for those people who need a second chance in life.”

Captain Stephen Ball, director of the San Bernardino Corps, explained the process that led to opening the new shelter at this location.

 “The fact that we are standing here today is because of a mighty act of God,” Capt. Stephen Ball said. “We also thank God for Cal Trans, which gave us a little more than $3 million. From that, we purchased and remodeled this building.”

The California Department of Transportation had acquired the Kingman street shelter through eminent domain, and in February 2007 tore it down to allow the widening of nearby Interstate 215. This left a void in San Bernardino, as it had lost a vitally needed homeless shelter, but since the Salvation Army specializes in bringing hope to others, its staff was not discouraged.

Among the hopeful were Captains Stephen and Nancy Ball, who would be taking over leadership of the San Bernardino Corps from the retiring and equally hopeful Majors Russell and Jacque Fritz later that year. With their hope, and with the $3,000,045 Cal Trans paid for the Kingman Street property, the Balls guided the Salvation Army staff and volunteers through the challenge of replacing the old, worn out shelter with a new place to call Hospitality House.

925 10^th Street started out sometime during the 1940s or 1950s as a fire station. Then, in 1976 San Bernardino’s other branch of the Salvation Army, Adult Rehabilitation Center, purchased it to create a treatment center and shelter for men overcoming drug and alcohol addiction. It used the 10^th Street property until 2008 before opening a new drug and alcohol treatment center/shelter near Mill Street and Waterman Avenue.

In 2009, the Corps bought the property from the Adult Rehabilitation Center. In August, it began rehabilitating the property, installing a new roof, heating and air conditioning, dual pane windows, new bathroom tile and fixtures and security cameras throughout the building.

The new shelter includes 21 private rooms, nine bathrooms with handicap access and two laundry rooms for families, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen three times as large as in the temporary shelter and private offices where staff can offer one-on-one counseling with the shelter’s residents.

Two more rooms are a computer lab and a library/education center especially for children. A San Bernardino City Unified School District tutoring program already in place will move here with the families, but the computers and a collection of children’s books and educational videos will offer children much more opportunity for learning.

The shelter needs new pillows, blankets and other bedding.  To help make that happen the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps has registered at Target to help provide for its new shelter.

The Target Foundation allows non-profit organizations such as The Salvation Army to create registries so that community members can help donate specific needs. These registries can be printed at Target, in the same way one would print a wedding or baby gift registry, so shoppers can help The Salvation Army while at Target Christmas shopping and ask for List ID: 012018800000074.

Anyone not going to a Target store anytime soon can visit http://www.target.com/lists/2731VI55YOJEH “Salvation Army Hospitality House Homeless Shelter” to find out the needs of the local Salvation Army Corps.  Not all items are available on line.

So, now it’s time for some more people who have lost their homes to have a chance at something better. The Salvation Army will move about 80 homeless people, mostly women and children, to the new shelter on Feb. 1.

“We want to help those who seek shelter and the chance for a new start in life,” said Capt. Nancy Ball.

About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps

The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.

The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.

Picture Slide Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZHh4B_a-6A

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Satern Showcases Effective Disaster Communication Tool

 A member of SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) presents information during the 2009 seminar. A new seminar, with all new workshops about SATERN and what it does for the community, takes place Jan. 30 at the San Bernardino Corps, 746 W. Fifth St.

 

(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – Anyone interested in amateur radio is invited to learn how to help one of the world’s oldest disaster relief organizations in its communications efforts.

The Inland Empire’s Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network, also known as SATERN, will hold its 14^th Annual Introduction and Seminar on Saturday, Jan. 30. This free event takes place from 8:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps, 746 W. Fifth St., San Bernardino. It’s open to the public and includes a complimentary lunch.

SATERN relies on amateur or shortwave radio, a technology that’s been around since before World War II, but is growing more sophisticated. These radios allow two-way communication across areas of about 200 miles, so SATERN uses them to communicate among its own members who are participating in a Salvation Army disaster relief effort, and with the emergency workers they’re helping.

The Salvation Army has helped in just about every disaster that has broken out over the last century, including fires such as the ones that burned in much of the Angeles National Forest this year, earthquakes, floods and the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“Amateur radio is a great hobby and participating in SATERN is a great way to turn that hobby into something that helps our Inland Empire tremendously,” said Tony Stephen, Inland Empire SATERN Committee member.  “If more people join us, we will be able to deliver communications more effectively during the next fire or other disaster that hits our area.”

After a sign-in time, the seminar gets underway at 9 a.m. The first speakers are Trace Wilette, a member of the Inland Empire’s SATERN committee, Carl Gardenias of the American Radio Relay League and Capt. Stephen Ball, executive officer of the San Bernardino Corps. They will provide an introduction to SATERN.

American Radio Relay League is an amateur radio organization separate from The Salvation Army, but whose members also are involved in disaster relief.

From 11 a.m. to 12 noon, Commissioner Phillip Swyers of The Salvation Army’s Western Territory and Major Linda Markiewicz, divisional commander of the Sierra Del Mar Division of The Salvation Army will speak on “Ready to Serve.”

They will explain how SATERN provides vital communication services on several fronts during disasters, such as between its own members, to the rescue workers they’re assisting and to the public. Rescue workers frequently rely on SATERN to help those displaced in a disaster communicate their whereabouts to out-of-town family, and to provide media with information that will help keep everyone safe and well-informed.

The seminar also includes two workshops on technical aspects of amateur radio, and a complimentary lunch.

So it will have an accurate lunch count, SATERN asks those attending to RSVP, either by email, phone, or amateur radio to one of the following members:

Tony Stephen, ke6jzf@verizon.net,  (909) 628-2843, KE6JZF.
Tony Straughter, revmass@verizon.net, (909) 980-9691, KA6YEZ
Bob Booth, w6qed@verizon.net, (909) 886-0215, W6QED
Paul Hager, paulhager@gmail.com, (909) 338-0319, AE6TR
Trace Willette, ki6dpn@arrl.net, (909) 800-1681, KI6DPN
Fred Steig, kt6k@msn.com, (909) 886-7844, KT6K

For more information go to the website www.satern.net

About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.

The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.

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