Local Camper receives the Walter E. Hayden Star Camper Award from Salvation Army leaders in the Midlands

Salvation Army of the Midlands (Columbia, SC) summer camper, Trinity Newbold-Molden received the Walter E. Hayden Star Camper Award on Tuesday, September 15 during the September Advisory Board Meeting. This award is given annually to a camper in recognition of exemplifying certain core values during their time at Camp Walter Johnson. This year, Trinity was selected as the award recipient for her kindness, respect, hard work, and willingness to help others that she displayed during her time at camp! When asked about her experience, Trinity replied, “We spent time laughing, learning, playing games, and learning about God Together. One thing I really enjoyed was praise and worship coming together and singing. Thank you to everyone who made my time at Camp Walter Johnson so special and thank you again for this amazing Award.”

Trinity is a 14-year-old freshman at Westwood High School and has been attending Camp Walter Johnson for the past six years, participating in Community Camps as well as Junior and Senior Music Conservatory. She is also an active Junior Soldier at The Salvation Army of the Midlands, where she is always willing to lend a hand. Whether she is running track, participating in JROTC, dancing, singing in the choir or helping others, Trinity brings enthusiasm and a positive spirit to everything she does. She aspires to be a pediatrician.

The Walter E. Hayden Star Camper Award was established in 2016 by the Salvation Army of the Midlands in partnership with Ellen Tollison Hayden, a longtime board member and widow of Mr. Hayden. He was a man who had strong character and faith, who was a sterling example of one who was especially dependable, generous, polite, respectful, cooperative, and thoughtful. Mr. Hayden was a good friend to young people and a staunch supporter of The Salvation Army’s Summer Camp Program at Camp Walter Johnson. “He was the embodiment of the attributes and qualities on which the award focuses,” said his wife, Ellen. “The award is an important honor and a goal to which to aspire during the week as well as something to be cherished.”

A member of The Salvation Army of the Midlands Advisory Board since 2000, Ellen has long been a resolute champion of youth and education in the region. Her decades long professional career included a stint as a teacher before moving on to education policy and program administration with the SC Department of Education, the US Office of Education, the SC Council Education Collaboration, the SC Education Resources Foundation, and as a state consultant on career education to name a few. Among the numerous awards and recognitions bestowed upon her were the Distinguished Alumni Award from Coker College, being named as a noteworthy school system administrator by Marquis Who’s Who, the South Carolina Woman of Achievement Award by the Governor’s Office Commission on Women, and the Woman of Distinction Award and the Role Model Award from the Girl Scouts of America. The SC House of Representatives recognized Ellen with a house resolution for her lasting commitment to education upon her retirement as the Executive Director of the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics in 2004.

Ellen’s dedication to youth has made a lasting difference in the lives of countless children throughout our community. To ensure that her commitment to improving the welfare of children, especially children from disadvantaged circumstances, continues in the future, Ellen has established an endowment with the Salvation Army that is designed to grow over time. It will provide funding for Midlands’ youth programs including summer camp. In time, it will provide scholarship opportunities for Star Camper award recipients. This gift also highlights the importance of legacy giving as a powerful way for individuals to make a lasting impact in their communities and ensure the long-term sustainability of The Salvation Army’s work in the Midlands.

Camp Walter Johnson in Denton, NC provides a positive environment for children to grow, learn and be encouraged while striving to meet spiritual, social, recreational, and educational needs. Since 1974, Camp Walter Johnson has impacted the lives of thousands of children throughout North and South Carolina. The Salvation Army summer camps provide kids with the opportunity to learn new skills, make friends, and create lasting memories—impactful childhood experiences that too often are only enjoyed by children from higher-income homes. Each summer, The Salvation Army of the Midlands sends local youth ages 6-12 to Camp Walter Johnson for a week that can literally change their lives. Families pay low or no registration fees for Camp Walter Johnson due to generous donations and community support.

For more information about The Salvation Army of the Midlands Youth Programs or supporting The Salvation Army of the Midlands please visit www.salvationarmymidlands.org. Camp information will be updated in the spring. For more information about establishing a legacy gift, please visit www.salvationarmymidlands.org or contact Lisa Huffman, Associate Planned Giving Director, (803) 309-0436, [email protected].

About the Salvation Army

The Salvation Army annually helps nearly 24 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is Doing The Most Good at nearly 7,000 centers of operation around the country.