Become a Member, Join a Committee

Rathgeber Committee – Chairs, Sharon Ash & Laci Knopp

SAWA members serve in numerous ways to support clients who stay at the Rathgeber Center for Families while transitioning from no home to their own home. SAWA hosts celebrations that bring comfort and light for families in need, with things like a Back-to-School Party, After-school Study Hall, Halloween Pumpkin Decorating, Christmas Caroling and Santa, Easter Basket Assembly, Mother’s Day & Father’s Day Gifting, Vacation Bible School, and more.

Spiritual Life Committee – Chair, Susan Smalling

Spiritual materials and activities are included with any SAWA events. We offer prayers for parents, children, employees, and volunteers at the Rathgeber Center for Families. All SAWA board and membership meetings begin with a devotional.

Communications & Public Relations Committee – Chair, Jenny Jopling

SAWA members assist with our social media presence, website, monthly snapshot and other ways to make SAWA members and the public aware of what we do. 

Spring Event Committee Co-chairs - Chair Linda Dryden, & Jenny Jopling

SAWA members plan, coordinate and execute our largest annual fundraiser luncheon that includes tablescapes and a style show. Members are encouraged to invite non-members to support the fundraising aspect in addition to elevating the exposure of SAWA. 

Membership Committee – Chairs, Diana Patterson & Thresa Nasi

SAWA members will coordinate and maintain membership records and communications as well as help plan and host the annual new member event and new member orientation. They will also assist with guest check in and greeting at SA year-round events.

Christmas Committee – Chair, Jill Durkee

Christmas is one of the most important times of the year for The Salvation Army. A dedicated celebration is orchestrated for families in transition at the Rathgeber Center for Families.  This committee also ensures SAWA members are connecting to the Austin area’s Angel Tree Program (filling gifts request for clothing and toys), Santa’s Secret Warehouse (sorting and checking Angel Tree gifts for resident children in Salvation Army facilities and the community), and Red Kettle Bell Ringing. The Angel Tree Program provides gifts for more than 9,000 children in Travis and Williamson counties.

Flower Committee - Chair, Anne Monnig

Westbank Flower Market donates whatever is left or comes back from their weekly events to SAWA. Each Monday one of us drives to the shop and picks up buckets of flowers then takes them to the Rathgeber Center for Familes. The residents come and choose a few to put in a vase in their suites and enjoy until the next week. Anne sends out a call for volunteers to sign up for their week. Don’t let the photo stress you for transporting. It’s typically only 1 or 2 buckets of flowers. There was an extra large leftover for this batch.

Found the right committee for lending your skills and talents as a SAWA member?  JOIN YOUR SAWA COMMITTEE TODAY!