Lieutenants Carla and Victor Haworth recently began their journey as the leaders of the Salvation Army in Owensboro — and it’s a homecoming for Carla, an Apollo High School alumna.
The two began with the Salvation Army in 1980 in Norfolk, Virginia. After the birth of their first son, they stepped away from the organization, eventually moving to Madisonville to be closer to family about 3 years ago.
Victor said they reconnected with the Salvation Army roughly 6 months before moving to Owensboro.
“We were inspired to come back and eager to serve God and do all we can for him through the mission,” Victor said. “This position allows us to use our talents and gifts to do what we believe he taught us.”
Victor said the Salvation Army typically chooses where to send its leaders, so they are grateful they were picked to take charge in Owensboro because it makes the transition easier.
He added that the organization places leaders where they can best use their skills — in this case, capitalizing on the Haworths’ experiences with contracting work. Victor noted that experience will be useful when they begin renovating what used to be the Salvation Army Thrift Store.
The local nonprofit is renovating the building to convert it into a Social Services Center.
“We have a massive amount of community help that we distribute and coordinate with here,” he said. “We’ve outgrown the hallway they used for it, and they want an office dedicated to [those services].”
Victor said they are preparing to launch the Pathway of Hope program. He said it will aim to service the community’s immediate needs and also seeks to teach people skills to help break generational cycles.
“Whether it’s poverty or anything else holding back a family from attaining their best results, we’re here to help,” Victor said.
He noted the organization is raising funds for the materials to complete the renovations, notably the interior walls. They hope to have a waiting room and classrooms to hold meetings and other events, whether with clients or community organizations.
