After three years of construction and a million dollar investment product of a donation, The Salvation Army in Puerto Rico opened the first and only Ray & Joan Kroc Corp and Community Center in the island. With the opening of this center, located in the Machete neighborhood of Guayama, the community enjoys a new place where they can receive various services such as education, arts, music, cultural events and sports and recreation for kids, youth, adults and elders at a low price and under the same building of approximate 85,000 square feet.
The Kroc Center opened to the public on November 1st, 2013 and offers membership since that same date. With their membership individuals and families are guaranteed recreational use of a 25 meter pool, a water park for kids, fully equipped gym with weights and cardiovascular machines, dance and aerobics room, zumba classes, cardio-kick-boxing, spinning classes and more. Plus partners of the Center will have access to a walking track inside a multi-sports indoor court that also offers basketball classes for boys and girls. The Center includes a chapel, a center for family services, a cafeteria, meeting rooms, central garden, and available rooms to rent for private activities, internet Wi-Fi connection and parking lot.
As part of the inauguration acts the Kroc Center and the Guayama community where blessed with the visit of the prestigious New York Staff Band whom touch with their music hundreds of puertorricans during that weekend. The events started from Friday, September 20th with a beautiful outdoor concert at Cristobal Colón Plaza in Guayama. The intense heat that Friday afternoon was no obstacle for a great amount of citizens to get closet o the area where the New York Staff Band interpreted beautiful melodies dedicated to the greatness of our Lord. Buyers, salespersons, domino players, students all were amazed that hot afternoon with the inspirational sounds of the band. At the middle of the program the audience received the Word of God by Lt. Colonel Kenneth Maynor and translated to the locals by Major John. The Salvation Army and its Emergency Disaster Services provided cold water for spectators and musicians to lower body temperature and calm. It was truly a never seen before experience in Guayama, town located at the southeast of the island and far from metropolitan areas.
Later that same day there was a gala dinner at the Kroc Center for dignitaries and important people of the government of Puerto Rico as well as for possible donators to the Salvation Army. During the dinner the NYSB also accompanied with their music leaving everyone in awe after playing an arrangement of “Old Man River”, which included a magnificent drums solo by Robert Jones. Once again NYSB demonstrated to all the excellence in musical history of the Salvation Army and woke the interest of the guests about the extensive work and various programs of the army.
On Saturday September 21st was the official inauguration opened to the whole community and members of the Guayama corp. During the activity were present Territorial Commissioners Barry and Sue Swanson, South America Eastern Territory Chief Secretary and his wife Territorial Secretary of Female Ministries Lt. Colonels Ricardo and Mirtha Fernández, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands Divisional Commander Jorge Marzán and various local government officials of Puerto Rico and Guayama. Hundreds of people from the Division were present and were once again touched by the chords of NYSB whom entertained before the activity started. During the protocol acts Lt. Colonel Fernández along with some musicians from the Staff Band made the audience praise and worship the Lord with a very popular song in Puerto Rico Division title “Si tuvieras Fé como un grano de mostaza”(“If you have faith as a mustard seed”) Once the protocol acts were finished a march to the entrance of the Kroc Center got organized, where the ribbon cutting ceremony was going to take place. The march steps were conducted by the drum beats played by the percussion section of the New York Staff Band. The rest of the day was an open house where the public enjoyed the different recreational areas of the Center.
Sunday morning was moment to present in front of God with praise and thanksgiving for the new temple and place in Guayama. For the first time in the new structure we celebrated Holiness Service where soldiers of the whole division met in brotherhood to pray, sing and rejoice of the rich blessings the Lord has given to the island of Puerto Rico. The New York Staff Band opened the morning service with preliminary music, inspiring the congregation into the spirit of adoration with various hymns, among them the “Holy Father” played by soprano cornet soloist Chris Ward. The Holy Spirit was truly felt in that place. Later during service the band accompanied the congregation conducted by Mayor Lydia Mercado in a spanish version of “In Christ Alone”. After the morning message by Commissioner Sur Swanson the congregation united their voices once again along with the NYSB and conducted by Corp Officer Lt. Melvin Alemán in the hymn “Storm the Forts of Darkness”.
Truthfully the Lord has blessed our Salvation Army and in this particular occasion has blessed Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Division and the community of Guayama with the new Kroc Center; and that memorable weekend would not have been the same without the collaboration of our dear New York Staff Band. Their visit to Puerto Rico was one that will be commented for years to come and in Puerto Rico we are hopeful to have the band in a not so distant future occasion. God bless you all!
by Ricardo Colon – Music Programs Coordinator (Guayama Kroc)
