San Angelo's Salvation Army Welcomes New Leader

SAN ANGELO, TX — The Salvation Army in San Angelo had a change of command last week. Major Tim Crider, who served San Angelo for three years, has left San Angelo for a new assignment in North Carolina. Taking his place is Major Stan Carr. He moved here from his previous assignment in Dallas.

“When we were appointed to San Angelo, we had to look it up on a map. We had no idea where it was,” Carr said. Driving here with his wife, Debra, he said recognized the San Angelo area is an oasis. “All you see is dirt until you arrive here,” Carr said his observation was when arriving at the confluence of the Concho Rivers.

“We are going to tackle some challenges,” Carr said. The first, Carr said, is that the emergency shelter needs upgrading. But before launching that project he is busy getting to know his people, the staff, and the folks the San Angelo Salvation Army serves.

The local Army has capital funds it can utilize to finance the shelter’s upgrade. “We will be reaching out to local contractors to get this project underway,” Carr said.

“This is a busy, busy spot,” Carr said. The primary challenge will be to complete the upgrade without displacing the people his organization serves. “I am heartbroken that we have all of these folks in need here. We will make sure they are safe, and during the construction we meet the Salvation Army standards,” he said.

Carr was a Canadian citizen by birth, but two weeks ago, he was sworn in as an American citizen.

Carr noted the tent cities that are frequently sighted underneath overpasses. “The reality is, and this is just me speaking, people who have problems with addiction issues don’t want to come into a facility that has rules. They’d prefer to figure it out on their own so they can continue to live the lifestyle they choose.”

The Salvation Army’s program is designed to help lift people up and out of the cycle of poverty, “from a place of hopelessness to a place of hope,” Carr said. “And that requires work. We can’t do it for you,” he said.

“We want the people we serve are able to live a dignified lifestyle so we can move them up in their station in life,” he said.

The Salvation Army rotates its commanders generally about every third year. Stan Carr’s arrival and Crider’s departure were planned transitions typical of the Salvation Army organization.