In times of need

It’s often said that The Salvation Army has a ministry of “presence” – of being there in times of need. Over the years, Grafton has experienced several major flooding incidents, and The Salvation Army has always been on hand to help.

When flooding inundated south Grafton in 1968, the then Salvation Army Officer Karl Banks worked with the State Emergency Services, 16 hours a day, for a week. After the water subsided, he helped get mud out of the houses, remembers his wife, Elva Banks: While all of this was going on, I gave out four tons of clothing on my front veranda, because the Hall was under water.  

The Salvation Army was also on-hand at a different disaster in October 1989 when a tourist coach and a truck collided near Grafton, killing 21 people. Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) crews provided sustenance and support for the rescue crews.