The Salvation Army is celebrating 110 years of service in the Foothills on June 10 and it will be a bit of a bittersweet moment as the community also says goodbye to the family who has been leading the church and their outreach services for five years.

Lieutenants Cory and Kelly Fifield are leaving big shoes to fill as they have been transferred to Kentville, Nova Scotia and leave right after the Father Day Services on June 18.

Kelly Fifield says moving to new places is the way the Salvation Army works.

"They put someone in the community to build it up," said Fifield. "And if they see skills and giftings you have that are needed somewhere else, then they will look at that and bring you there and bring someone else in that will carry on with what is happening in the community here."

She adds leaving High River will be hard with everything they have been through in the past five years.

It was their first posting.

"It helped to shape who we are. We totally believe God placed us here for this time and this purpose. It will be hard we leave with very mixed emotions. We are excited to go and see new things and meet new people, just totally engage in a new community, but obviously the people here have made an impact on us, and it is going to be hard to leave that."

But first up the celebration in the park gets underway at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 10 and the Celebration service is at 10:30 a.m. June 11 at the Salvation Army church.

Fifield says they realized last year that the anniversary was about to happen.

"We said we have to do something. It's not something that you can just let go by. It is really exciting."

They want to make sure the community celebrates too, with special guests attending the Celebration in the park and music by the Glenmore Temple Band, the Salvation Army Brass Band and River Wind will be singing a couple of songs.

The emergency disaster truck from Edmonton will also be there handing our snacks and drinks.

"It will be a great time come out and bring a lawn chair and just enjoy," she said.

The service on Sunday starts at 10:30 a.m. with some special events planned.

'We are just going to continue that celebration all through the weekend."

Cory Fifield at the Love High River Food Drive.

 

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