MIDDLEBURG – The mission hasn’t slowed from the moment Maj. Melissa Scott and Capt. Tim Scott arrived as the new Corps Officers of the Salvation Army of Clay County.

They were at the Camp Keystone Florida Music Camp Celebration days after settling in from Florence, South Carolina. They fed volunteers and first responders at the emergency management reenactment on July 9 at the Clay County Fairgrounds. They also had to prepare for the annual Back to School Outreach on Friday, July 25, knowing that more than 100 children depend on receiving their school supplies, haircuts and information on county services.

For Melissa, Clay County is her 14^th post. For her husband, it’s his fifth. No matter the setting, one thing remains the same: there’s always a need.

“This is a busy corps,” Tim said. “Florence was responsible for 3,500 square miles of South Carolina, but this is just as busy or busier. So much of the area in South Carolina is fields and swamps, lots of swamps.”

“I'm certain that I don't even have a solid grasp of everything that we do, but I know that Angel Trees is a big part of it,” Melissa said. “I know that Red Kettles are a big part of it. The school of music has become a huge event here; we're thrilled. The women's auxiliary is big here.”

The Chamberlains spent three years directing services in the county. They were reassigned to DeLand in West Volusia County.

For the Scotts, the assignment marks a return to Clay County.

“We met at Camp Keystone in 1978,” Tim said. “She lived in Arkansas; I lived in Georgia. Back then, the Salvation Army had a territory, which for us was 15 southern states. They had a music camp there, and that’s where we met. Music has always been important to us, and the Army’s music program is important to us.”

“We truly believe that music can change a life,” Melissa said. “We are blessed to have the music program here and to have professional teachers come in and do that. That's huge for us.”

The Scotts said every assignment has its challenges. The needs in Clay County differ from those in the Sandhills of South Carolina. The goal is to make a difference.

“We feel like the way to do that is to be engaged with as many ways and methods and programs and possibilities as we can, as we can muster,” Tim said. “You can't have an effect unless you have a relationship, and everybody gets reached in a different way.”

Melissa is part of a women’s program on Thursdays. The Scotts also reached out to an assisted living center 100 yards away from their post on County Road 220.

“They are going to have an event at the senior citizens’ center, and we’re going to put a booth there so we can interact with folks," Tim said.

The corps also celebrated the fact that it sent many children to summer camp in Keystone Heights.

“It’s important to get them out and get them into a safe place to have fun,” Tim said.

A significant change is the setup in Clay County. Their post in Florence included an overnight shelter, but there are no homeless shelters in the county.

“We do have a large shelter in Jacksonville where we can refer people if the need arises,” Tim said.

“Everywhere we go, there is a different interest, a different thrust. We are very community-driven. We’re learning what the community needs here. How can we impact this community?"

The Chamberlains faced several encounters with an aging building. The Scotts now benefit from the repairs, as well as the oversized warehouse and the emergency response truck, which were given to a post in the state.

“This is a beautiful building. This is a great facility,” Tim said. “We’ve got a great disaster vehicle. We’re really blessed to be here.”

As soon as the Back to School Outreach is completed, the Scotts will focus on building on the success of the music program and expanding attendance at Sunday services.

The Thanksgiving giveaway will approach quickly, as will the Red Kettle Drive and the Angel Tree program.

Like the needs, the work never ends at the Salvation Army.