SAN FRANCISCO – There were some significant San Diegans in the crowd when the Salvation Army dedicated its spectacular new community center here, smack in the middle of the Tenderloin, this city's worst district.
To begin with, it's the Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, made possible by Joan Kroc's $1.5 billion – yes, billion – legacy to the Army in 2004.
(Half of that staggering sum is to build 25 to 30 community centers throughout the United States – centers similar to the $87 million Kroc Center that opened in San Diego in 2002. The other half is an endowment to help operate those centers.)
Rob Pace, a member of the Salvation Army's national board of directors and a brand-new resident of Rancho Santa Fe, was here, and so were San Diego's Joyce Glazer, a member of the Army's national advisory board, and Adrienne Finley, development director of the Army's Sierra Del Mar Division.
Most significant of all was Linda Ardell, Joan Kroc's daughter, who was here with three of her own four daughters, their husbands and offspring.
Linda had daughters Allison Fitzgerald, Amanda Latimer and Amy Ragen by her side.
Allison was accompanied by her husband, Eddie Fitzgerald, and their 5-year-old daughter, Anya Fitzgerald.
Amanda was with her husband, Troy Latimer, and their five children: Isabella Latimer and Serena Latimer, both 10 years old; Scotty Latimer, who is 7; Nathan Latimer, 5 years old; and Lauren Latimer, 2.
Amy Ragen was there with her daughter, Emma Ragen, who is 5 years old.
Both Linda and Allison spoke during the dedication ceremony that followed a luncheon on the third floor of the center. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome and Salvation Army National Commander Israel Gaither were among others on the program.
The new $57 million Kroc center on Turk Street contains, among other facilities, a library, a computer lab, a regulation gymnasium, a dance studio, a fitness center, a climbing wall, an outdoor courtyard, a swimming pool, and a traditional Salvation Army worship space.
