Southern Territorial Headquarters hosts media training with LERMA/

On Wednesday, August 24, officers and employees representing 15 southeastern states and the District of Columbia gathered at The Salvation Army’s Territorial Headquarters in Atlanta for a media training, the first of its kind in years. The training was facilitated by LERMA/, the agency of record for The Salvation Army nationwide. Elizabeth Clayton, founder of Genuine Article, LLC, and her team came alongside the participants to equip them to be better stewards with the opportunities that the media offers to The Salvation Army.

The morning consisted of lecture and dialog about the things to consider when given the chance to speak with media. This was followed by lunch and extensive mock interviews. The interviews provided the delegates a chance to practice interacting with media whether they are responding to a perceived crisis, sharing the good news of things happening locally, or discussing upcoming events so that the public can support the ongoing work of The Salvation Army in their communities.

Training activities such as this will be offered on a regular basis and regionally so that more people can benefit and strengthen the ability of The Salvation Army to convey its message. There are so many competing demands for attention from the media that make training like this essential in the day-to-day work of "meeting human need in Jesus' name without discrimination." Major Ethan Frizzell, general secretary for the Alabama, Louisiana, & Mississippi Division, brought a reminder in his interview that we have a story to tell, and that story should be an invitation to the "fulness of life that comes through faith."