The Salvation Army continues to monitor the devastation following 16 April's deadly shootings on the Virginia Tech campus, where 33 people died.
Salvation Army volunteers from Blacksburg and further afield remain on hand to offer their resources - physical and spiritual - to the victims and support staff who are still reeling from the horrific event.
The Salvation Army has had one canteen on site with two listed as standby. On 16 April, the canteen served 500 meals to law enforcement officers and first responders. The canteen will remain in place over the next few days as it continues to feed law enforcement and first responders, with the addition of any families of students harmed or unharmed who come to the campus.
Captain Gregory Shannon of Blacksburg Salvation Army said: "It's a privilege to be able to do this," he said. "We're glad to do whatever we can to help."
Five pastoral care counsellors have also been deployed by The Salvation Army at the request of law enforcement agencies. Although the situation is fluid and therefore nothing is set in stone, their jobs will be to provide emotional and spiritual care to the families coming to identify and claim the bodies, to the student population on campus, and to first responders and the general community as necessary. The Salvation Army is also supplementing a team from the Billy Graham Evangelical Association.
Grief counsellors were based at The Inn on the Virginia Tech campus. Captain Richard White, the Salvation Army officer co-ordinating the response, spoke to the Los Angeles Times: "They're anxious now because they want to move on and get their loved ones' remains, but it's not so easy to do that. There's an investigation and a lot to process."
The Salvation Army is calling on Christians to lift up the victims, their families and others affected in prayer.
[Source: The Salvation Army]
