Meet Jan Gosnell, a retired elementary school teacher. Jan has volunteered with The Salvation Army of Clearwater/Upper Pinellas County for seven years, faithfully supporting programs like Angel Tree and the food pantry. While always eager to serve, she really wanted to explore volunteering in emergency disaster services, so when she heard volunteers were needed for an upcoming disaster training exercise, she quickly “raised her hand” to get involved.
By participating in the PIE Airport Tri‑Annual Exercise on April 21, Jan worked through a mock disaster as emergency responders from the Tampa Bay area gathered at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport to practice responding to a simulated a plane crash in the water. Passing out lunchboxes that afternoon from The Salvation Army canteen, she said, “I’m so excited. I have always wanted to do this.”
Jan’s participation highlights how disaster training exercises not only strengthen The Salvation Army’s operational readiness but also prepare and inspire volunteers to step into expanded roles when real‑world emergencies occur. If you would like to volunteer for The Salvation Army in any capacity, sign up at https://bit.ly/4eFudBp
