Major Stan and Major Judy Folkins

Major Stan Folkins – Stan started with thanking us for the invitation. Stan and Judy have lived all across Canada for the past 30 years. Stan has a bit of a Rotary past. Although Stan moved a lot with the Salvation Army, he has had the opportunity to join several Rotary Clubs. His last career before joining the Army was with Burns Meats as their account executive and Judy worked in Sussex as a childcare worker. In 1976 they moved to Toronto to take the Salvation Army Commissioning. They lived in Ontario for four years, and that is where he joined Rotary. In 1982 they were appointed to the Northern BC division of Salvation Army in Prince Rupert. He was a Rotarian there too. He was a founding member of a new branched out club in that area as well. They moved to Vancouver in 1985 and spent three years there, then moved to London, Ontario, for three years and finally spent three years in Toronto. They ran several Salvation Army camps during these periods. They lost their youngest son when he was in his early 20’s. Their oldest son Mark & his wife Andrea are in Toronto. In 1997 they were sent to Manitoba after the “Flood of the Century.” Seven thousand people volunteered with the Salvation Army. Stan was the Executive Director, and Judy was the Director of the Volunteers. They had tractor-trailer loads of goods delivered to the flood victims. That was one experience they would never forget. Stan & Judy wanted to be pastors again, so they took a position in Okanogan BC, where they built a new church and doubled the congregation in two years. Shortly after that, they left for Ottawa to work in Social Services at a Ministry in the city. After that, they went back to B.C. and were then asked to come back to Sussex. They both would like to retire in Sussex, but the Salvation Army operates in 123 countries, and they have five years before retirement, so they don’t know where they could end up. 

 

Major Judy Folkins - Judy does a lot of the hands-on community service. She was originally from Sussex, but it still impresses her with the support they get from Sussex for people in need. They raised $81,000 in 2010, and this is used to help over 175 families during Christmas and throughout the year. They serve 85 families a month with food, kids camps and other services. Many past due renovations have been completed to the Salvation Army building in town to make their clients have better accessibility and feel more at home when coming in to seek their help.