Salvation Army celebrates retirement of 2 majors with decades of service

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Salvation Army in Clearwater celebrated the retirement of two leaders on Sunday.

"We have mixed feelings today," Ted Morris said.

A major retirement

What we know:

Major Pamala Morris and Major Ted Morris are officially retired from the salvation army.

"We've had the privilege of serving in the Clearwater area for the past eight years," Ted Morris said. "Generally, we serve three or four years in one place, so to be allowed to remain in Clearwater for this length of time is great, but very difficult to leave." 

Decades of service

By the numbers:

These two each spent nearly 40 years working for the organization, almost 80 total years of service.

"It just thrills our hearts to see lives changed, to see people that were homeless in our house. People that had no food that now have food, people that had no hope, and now they have hope," Pamala Morris said.

They want people to know that the Salvation Army offers a lot.

"From disaster services to working in the church to working in the community, mobile food pantries, Christmastime, Angel Tree, Thanksgiving, giving out turkeys," Pamala Morris said.

Something for everyone

What you can do:

And that means there is something for everyone looking to help.

"I think maybe many people don't know the scope and the breadth and the depth of the Salvation Army," Pamala Morris said. "So however individuals want to help and volunteer and get involved, I'll bet you they will find a very nice spot within the Salvations Army."

A life on the move

The backstory:

This couple has traveled all over the country doing this work, but Clearwater is one of their longest stops, making it an even harder goodbye.

"We're just thankful for those in Clearwater who are in the various groups we're a part of for allowing us to be part of," Ted Morris said. "So, we are blessed, our hearts are full, our hearts warm, and it's going to be hard to leave."

But as they left, they said they were called to this work.

"We believe the Lord has appointed us to serve in this way. We wouldn't do it if He didn't say, this is what your calling is. So each of us individually received a special calling from God to serve our community in this," Ted Morris said.

And they would not have spent their lives any other way.

Clearwater