Major Rolf Guenther — the public face of the Salvation Army in Oceanside — is moving on, but he said he is leaving his post in good hands.
He jokes that he retired six years ago, but he continues to work because he likes to keep active.
As of Nov. 6, Guenther is leaving not only Vancouver Island, but the country, heading back to his home country of Germany.
He moved with his wife to Port Alberni from Oakville, Ontario in 2006 to retire closer to a couple of their children and started working with the Salvation Army as he had been doing across the country since arriving in 1979.
When his son-in-law vacated the Salvation Army job, Guenther ended up taking it, and he’s been busy for the last five years.
After his wife died last summer he considering retiring again but decided to take up a standing request to help the Salvation Army’s unit in Keil, Germany.
He leaves the job in the hands of Lisa Clason who has managed the organization’s three Oceanside thrift shops for several years.
“I’ll take away a very positive image of Oceanside and will tell people over there how generous and nice people are here.”