“Leaving Wadsworth is like leaving home,” Major Tom Grace, who alongside his wife, Major Debbie Grace, have led the Wadsworth branch of the Salvation Army for the past 15 years.
Effective July 1, the Graces have been assigned to take over the Canton branch of the Salvation Army.
In one of his last acts as head of the Wadsworth branch, Major Tom Grace stopped by our studios to say goodbye to the community.
“Our son graduated from Wadsworth High School. Our daughter student-taught in Wadsworth City Schools. She had a long term substitute jobs in the schools. Yeah, this is home.”
The Graces came to our community 15 years ago to help out the branch in Wadsworth while the person in charge was on sick leave. Four months later, the Salvation Army asked Tom and Debbie if they would consider staying on in Wadsworth permanently. By that time, “we fell in love with the community and the people,” Tom explained.
Things at the Salvation Army branch in Wadsworth have changed drastically in 15 years, thanks to the Graces. “When we started years ago, the office was open only three hours a day, we had the soup kitchen, which we still have today, and limited social services.”
And today, “we have educational components, including after-school programs for elementary students. The Care Team program for middle school students. A GED program. A mental health services program. All of our programs have grown so dramatically, that makes it hard to leave at this point,” said Grace.
Grace said the job in Canton is intimidating. “Walking through the facility in Canton seemed like it never ended. The number of people being fed through the Salvation Army in Canton is very large.”
“When we look back over our careers, not to discount what will take place in Canton, but this place, Wadsworth, will be the place we fondly remember because of the people and because of how they rallied around us.”
We extend our best wishes to Majors Tom and Debbie Grace. We will always consider you Wadsworthians.
