Salvation Army Volunteer Lives United Daily

Originally published in the Lebanon Daily News

It is 5:30 p.m. on a weekday evening, and the halls of the Salvation Army in Lebanon are buzzing with children. There are toddlers eating a hot meal under the supervision of a teenage volunteer, middle school children playing foosball and pool in the game room and children of all ages working on projects on the floor of the "poster room". But, the busiest room in the place is the computer room. Amidst a range of projects being done by children of all ages on a bank of ten computers, and a flurry of conversations and questions, is a large, cheerful man whom the children call, "Mr. Wayne".

Wayne Carey is the volunteer in charge of the Salvation Army computer room. Carey assumed this role in January of 2008, following a turn as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army Christmas kettle campaign. As he learned more about the work that Captain Moises Rivera and his wife, Captain Jacqueline Rivera, were doing with the neighborhood children, he asked if he could help in any way. Now, Carey, an employee of Sunset Market, whom he says has been very supportive of this work, volunteers 2-3 hours a day, 5 days a week.

"I feel that we help these kids by putting tools into their hands, setting parameters, caring about them and holding them responsible. They all know that their homework takes priority. Now they are enjoying doing it and have a real sense of achievement," says Carey. Children from the youngest who play games, to the oldest who do research on the computers each day, rely on his positive guidance. He helps them find appropriate websites and has secured the availability of two teachers, one of them being his wife, Kathy, whom they can call for help during the hours they are there.

The Salvation Army after-school program has 71 children, ages 5 -16, registered, and sees an average of 60 children an afternoon, doing everything from homework, musical instrument lessons, creative movement classes to basketball and soccer. "His involvement with the after-school program, and particularly his work with the computers, is invaluable," says Captain Moises Rivera about Wayne Carey. "His wife, Kathy, also started and ran the "Reading is Fundamental" program during the summer, and secured Hershey Park passes for every child who read the required number of books.
They have both made a wonderful contribution to our program."

That sentiment is echoed by the children whose lives Wayne Carey touches each day. "He always helps us when we need it, and he makes sure that inappropriate websites are blocked," says Kiana Kohr, 12. Sisters, Marisol Rojas, 12 and Alicia Rojas, 11 agree, "He helps us a lot, and he gives us candy before we go home." Their cousin, Betzaida Morales, 12, recounted, "My Social Studies teacher wanted us to do a research project on Egypt. Mr. Wayne helped me find a website that told about ancient Egypt, Cairo and the Nile. I got an A+ on my report."

Wayne Carey feels he is "living united" by volunteering for the Salvation Army, and sums up his experience this way, "God has blessed my family incredibly and this is my way of giving back. The kids are great. They are like my great big family. I have gotten more out of it than I have given."