You're invited to celebrate the retirement of Majors Don and Ronda Gilger!
Join us for a special service honoring their years of faithful service on Sunday, June 29 at 10am in the Kroc Theater. Following the service, we’ll gather for a BBQ lunch to continue the celebration with food, fellowship, and fun. All are welcome as we say thank you and farewell to the Gilgers!
A FAREWELL FROM MAJORS DON & RONDA GILGER
As Major Ronda and I prepare to retire, I want to ask you, do you Believe in Miracles? I do! Ronda and I serve in a miracle every day here in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho at the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. You might ask, “How can a building made of brick and mortar be a miracle?" I would point you to a Scripture, 1 Peter 2:5, “You are living stones that God is building into His Holy Temple, what’s more you are His Holy Priests.” This Kroc Center is a Holy Temple and those who work within these walls are indeed living stones. Who are these living stones? This list is long but not exhaustive, and I am afraid I will miss some, so apologies in advance. Former Corps Officers, Colonels John and Lani Chamness along with Majors Ben and JoAnn Markham, whose shoulders we stand on today. Without their foundational leadership, this Center would not be the shining light that it is. Special thanks to Mayor Sandi Bloem, Sue and Tom Thilo, Jack Riggs and Sandy Patano, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe along with a long list of founding Advisory Board members and donors who had the vision and foresight to fight and bring this Kroc Center from a dream to reality. They were all pioneers, and we owe them a deep debt of gratitude.
During our seven years here in Coeur d'Alene, we have come to love and appreciate the Director Team: Kip Sharbono, Stacy Barney, Mike Nunemacher, and Amy Voeller. A stellar cast of truly amazing and dedicated professionals. In addition, we share a note of gratitude to the hundreds of front-line employees and leadership who honor the vision of Joan Kroc every day. I am grateful to our community who fulfilled their mission: if you build it, they will come! This morning, we have over 19,000 members with 3,000 entries a day. Talk about a miracle! This is all possible because Joan Kroc donated $1.5 billion to build 26 Kroc Centers across the United States. Each has their own story to tell, but I think ours is the best! As great as our inception and past was, the future is even brighter! We dream that someday there will be a campus surrounding our Center with an even wider range of services! The Bible reminds me that God is the one who is in control, and we owe all the Praise to Him!
I close with a verse, “He who began the Good Work in you will be faithful to complete it!” Ronda and I can’t wait to see what comes next! Thanks be to God for the opportunity to serve here in Coeur d’Alene!
Majors Ronda and Don Gilger
Corps Officers/Executive Directors
The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center Coeur d'Alene