Salvation Army upgrades parking lot thanks to large donation

PALMER — The Salvation Army Mat-Su Valley Corps was able to upgrade the parking lot area at the main office and church just outside downtown Palmer thanks to a large donation from outside the state.

“That was nice, much needed,” Salvation Army Mat-Su Valley Corps officer Kevin Bottjen said.

The new parking lot features a total of 32 spaces including two new handicap spaces. According to Bottjen, this is the first time they’ve had official handicap parking spaces.

“It is a big step forward,” Bottjen said.

Bottjen said they’re going to apply for a grant with the hope of placing a street lamp in the parking lot by the end of the summer. Looking even more long-term, he said they would also like to add a fire pit, but for now, they’re taking this positive gust of support in stride.

“It’s nice to see a finished project,” Bottjen said.

Bottjen noted another exciting development thanks to a recent grant from MEA. He said they’re expecting a shipment of 150 new chairs for their facility that are very sturdy and fully washable.

“We’re extremely grateful. That will give is plenty of seating,” Bottjen said.

The Mat-Su Salvation Army’s current main focus is overseeing their annual summer camp program. Bottjen said that camps started two weeks ago.

It’s going fantastically,” Bottjen said.

Bottjen said their main goal with their summer camp program is to offer affordable options to local families with opportunities to earn scholarships for their children. He said their camp at King’s Lake is a safe and activity driven environment for youth to enjoy their summer.

“There’s a lot of guidelines in place to protect the youth but still make it as much fun as possible,” Bottjen said.

Bottjen noted that several community members provided donations to help local children enroll in their program.

“Thanks to all those who helped make it possible to get kids to go to camp,” Bottjen said.

The Mat-Su Salvation Army lost a massive amount of funding due to the low number of volunteers ringing bells for the annual holiday fundraiser in 2021. Bottjen said they’re going to start planning for the holidays far earlier this year to better prepare themselves since that is the single largest source of their overall donation funds. He said they have a great need for volunteers in general and that need will only grow as the holidays draw nearer.

“If people want to give back we can give them an opportunity to give back,” Bottjen said. “We are an army of volunteers. The Salvation is known for what it does in the community. We’re here to meet human needs wherever they’re at without discrimination; and the more volunteers we have, the more we can help.”

Bottjen said the Salvation Army is always in need of donations and the challenges from the last few years have only increased that need. He said their small but dedicated team of volunteers make the most of donated funds to support the community throughout the year.

“Every donated dollar is used in the best possible way,” Bottjen said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com